Can You Save Me
by mchriste22
Summary: Annie and Liam begin to realize how much they need each other just when they may be ripped apart. Picks up on the action immediately following the S2 finale.
1. Chapter 1

Can You Save Me

Annie Wilson closed her eyes and propped her head against her closed fist. Behind her and through the not-so-soundproof glass of the detective's office, she could hear her parents tight, strained voices discussing the…accident. Technically vehicular manslaughter, the detective had said and she purposely focused on the phrase. The official words shredded any sense of relief she'd felt at finally coming clean about the hit and run that had ended a man's life a year ago, replacing it with anxiety that gnawed away at her empty stomach. She knew she deserved it and steadfastly refused to shove the thought aside. There was no point in wishing for the night to be over. Come morning, the problem would still be there. A man would still be dead and she'd still be the one who ended his life. Forever. She had to live with this forever. She might as well get used to it.

The voices in the office rose momentarily, but she still couldn't make out actual words. One mildly non-awful thing had come of her revelation: her parents were talking, working together. A sputtering flicker of hope warmed her as she toyed with the idea of her stupidity saving her family from breaking apart. She quickly doused the warmth and drew the familiar, yet painful cocoon of despair around her. Better to focus on reality, she chastised herself. No use hoping for good things she didn't deserve.

As easy as it was for the anguish to take center stage, Annie couldn't smother one stubbornly happy thought. The little pocket of warmth bloomed in the pit that was her stomach and pushed away the cloying nausea. Amidst all the fear and guilt that comprised the past year of her life, one good thing came out of it. Liam. The furrow between her brows relaxed and her lips almost curved into a ghost of a smile as she remembered how excited he'd been to show her his boat. She still couldn't believe he'd built that beautiful thing, let alone that it would actually float. Sighing, she wondered if there was anything she wouldn't give to be back there with him. If she'd asked him to just sail away with her, away from the crimes they'd both committed and the consequences they had to face, would he have agreed? Maybe by now they could be miles away, putting an ocean between them and everything that had happened in the past year. Everything but the friendship they'd forged. The only good part.

"Sit," an authoritative voice barked, followed by the clinking of metal. Annie's eyes fluttered open out of curiosity and immediately alighted on a set of handcuffs. One end closed around the armrest of a bench identical to the one she currently occupied, the other locked around a wrist covered in blood. Surprise prompted her to sit up straighter and base instinct had her seeking out the face that went with it.

"Oh my god," she breathed as she took in the familiar dark brown hair, the white shirt and worn jeans. The boy sitting across the police station from her stared down at this free hand, flexing the fingers slowly and carefully, so she couldn't see his face. Not that she needed to. "Liam?"

The head lifted with whiplash speed and a wave of emotions swept across Liam's features as he registered her presence. Surprise, humiliation, relief, concern. When he spoke his voice was slightly hoarse. "Annie, what-what are you doing here?"

"Reporting my felony," she stated even though at the moment she'd forgotten all about the hit and run. Concern etched deep furrows in her brow as she took in not only the blood staining his hands, but also spattered across his once pristine shirt. Casting a cursory glance over her shoulder and finding her parents and the detective still deep in conversation, she darted across the white marble of the station floor and crouched before him. "What are you doing here? What happened? Are you hurt?"

"I'm okay," he tried to insist, meeting her eye, but squirming under at the attention.

"You're covered in blood," she pointed out the obvious and on impulse reached for his hands.

"It's not mine," he began, but bit back a curse as Annie's fingers closed around his. Gasping, she loosened her grip and gently uncurled his fingers. Already bruised and swollen, blood seeped from deep wounds across his knuckles where the skin had split. She bit her lip and lifted her gaze to his. Liam shrugged and tried to smirk, but his eyes were pained. "Well, it's mostly not mine."

"What happened?" she asked again, claiming a seat beside him on the bench. Loosely, she cradled his damaged free hand in her lap, oblivious to the drips of blood staining her own tattered jeans and BHHS sweatshirt. A draft of air alerted her senses to something acrid, something familiar. "You smell like smoke."

A few tense moments stretched between them as he hesitated, his jaw clenched so tightly Annie could actually see it twitch. Finally, he spoke. "The boat's gone."

Annie blinked in dumbfounded shock. "Gone?"

"Someone…someone took it out to the middle of the harbor and set the deck on fire," he explained, staring at their linked hands. "I guess it must have spread to the engine room and, um, blew up."

"Blew up," Annie repeated and immediately cursed the surprise that was rendering her capable of only stating the obvious. "That's…That's insane. Why would - who would do that?" Liam didn't answer, but she felt his grip on her fingers tighten. Dropping her gaze, she took in the bloodied and bruised hand she hadn't hesitated to take. Realization slowly filtered through her stunned brain. "Whoever did it, This is their blood, isn't it."

Liam nodded. "I got back just in time to see him climbing up the ladder to the dock. The boat was on fire. I ran at him and just…took him down. The boat blew and I just kept hitting him. Even when I heard the sirens, I didn't stop. I don't even know if…if he's alive. I think he is, but he wasn't conscious when…when they took him away."

The defeat in his voice broke her heart. She did the only thing that felt right. Wrapping her arm around him, she rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Liam." She wasn't sure exactly what she was sorry for - the loss of his precious boat, the loss of his temper that may have caused irreversible damage this time or maybe both. He'd taken extreme pride in building that boat, but she knew reigning in the rage that sometimes boiled to the surface was infinitely more difficult. "I'm really, really sorry."

He shook his head at her words, trying to dismiss them as he blinked furiously and stared at the floor. Tension turned his upper body to granite in her arms even as tremors of pent up frustration rolled through him. Long minutes passed before the shaking stopped, but even when it did, Annie didn't let go. Comforting Liam felt good, eased the ache in her own chest and let her pretend for a second that maybe he got as much out of their friendship as she did. Absently, she rubbed his arm. "Do you know who did it? Or why?"

"Yeah," he admitted after a long pause, so quietly she almost didn't hear him.

"Who?

Liam turned his head and piercing blue eyes met hers. After studying her for a long moment, he uttered. "It was Jasper."

Jerking upright as if she'd been burned, Annie let go of his hand; her arm fell away. "Jasper?" she repeated numbly. She couldn't have heard him right. Jasper was a lot of things, but setting a boat on fire in the middle of the arena? People could have been killed. If Liam hadn't been dropping her off, he might have been on that boat…

Even as her heart fought it, her brain knew the truth. Liam had no reason to lie. Stomach twisting painfully, she tasted bile in the back of her throat. Jasper must have been watching them. Stalking her. The violation continuing without even touching. Liam had never been in any danger, but the realization actually made her feel worse. An overwhelming wave of helplessness washed over her and her eyes welled with tears. Selfishly, she almost wished Jasper were dead, just so she could be free of him. So the nightmare could be over and she could figure out how to live her life from here.

"This is all my fault," she choked out, stifling an anguished sob by clapping a hand over her mouth. She closed her eyes and the tears that had been hanging on her lashes spilled over, burning twin trails down her cheeks. When she opened them, Liam's face was a mask of confusion. She grabbed his bicep and struggled to speak around the lump in her throat. For what felt like the millionth time, she apologized. "I'm so sorry. It's because of me. If I hadn't…if we hadn't been hanging out, he wouldn't have…God, how can I make him stop? I thought if I told the truth it would really be over, but it's not. It doesn't matter to him. Liam! Liam, you could have died and it would have been all my fault."

"Hey, hey, hey. It's alright, Annie. It's alright," Liam interrupted her ramble just as it approached hysterics. Gently, he wrapped his free hand around the back of her neck and pulled her to him. The silver cuff bit into his flesh when he tried to use his other arm, angrily reminding him of his captivity. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he held her there as she shook with tears. Grasping for anything to calm her down, he offered whatever nonsense came to mind. "Seriously, it's okay. I don't understand half of what you're talking about, but I swear he's - whatever he's done, he's not going to do it anymore. I won't let him. I promise."

Annie couldn't make out the words over the blood rushing through her ears, but she heard his voice and felt it caress her frayed nerves. The anguish, however, remained fresh and new. Almost like the time she spent on the boat in this very same position hadn't even happened. Except this time, the tears weren't just for the man she'd killed, now they were also born of fear. Of all the times she'd wished to erase that fateful night last year, the feelings had never been this intense, this desperate. For the first time she really believed Jason would hurt her – would hurt anybody who got in his way. Cast adrift in an ocean of near hysteria, she reached for Liam and curled her fingers into a fist around the open collar of his bloodstained shirt.

After what seemed like an eternity, the tears subsided but she didn't want to move. Security replaced the ebbing tide of emotion. Beneath the smoke, she could still smell faint traces of Liam's cologne. The warmth of his body bled through his shirt and soaked into her skin. She could hear his heartbeat and soon noticed hers had slowed to match it. Sniffing, she opened her eyes and loosed her grip on his shirt. Blood from her hands stained the white fabric. Liam's blood.

"You okay?" he murmured, just as gently as his words of comfort.

"I…," she'd been about to apologize – again – but couldn't find the strength. Blinking away left over tears, she lifted her head. The panic was gone, but she could still feel it on the edges of her mind. Ridiculously blue eyes searched her face, waiting. With a sigh, she murmured. "I'm just…so tired…I don't want to feel like this anymore. I want it to be over. "

"You and me both," he replied, a wan smile brightening his face and somehow, in the midst of their personal hells, making her heart trip just a little faster. His gaze dropped to her mouth and for one breathless second she anticipated kissing him in the police station – him handcuffed and bloody, her a tear-stained wreck. A hysterical laugh lodged in her throat and she tried to swallow it before it could escape and ruin the moment completely.

Liam didn't kiss her. Instead, he closed his eyes and let his forehead rest against hers, but the effect was the same. Her lips parted on a silent surprised gasp as her eyelids fluttered shut of their own accord. Bit by bit her fear and guilt, his rage and frustration, began to drained away, leaving her with the foreign sensation of peace. After a year, the dead weight of her actions had become her anchor. Without it, the disconnect was overwhelming and she reached for him blindly. Her fingers threaded through his thick hair, her palm resting on his cheek. Stubbornly refusing to give into another panic attack, she tried to focus on the reassuring pressure of his hand on the back of her neck and the sweep of his thumb over the pulse point below her jaw.

"Annie!"

Like a sharp rebuke, her name echoed through the station and suddenly Liam was gone. Disoriented, she blinked and looked toward the sound. The meeting with the detective was over. Outside the open door, her mother loomed like a statue, arms crossed, face set in stone. Just over her shoulder, her father wore a similar expression. A stoic, unified front. Their eyes flickered between her wide, red eyes and the blood covered boy sitting next to her, once again staring holes through the polished floor.

"We're leaving. Now," her mother announced and then turned to exchange a few parting words with the detective. Her father continued to stare at Liam and not for the first time she hated that he was the principal at her high school. Every offense Liam had committed, minor or major, had been added to the permanent record her dad was no doubt calling to mind. She wouldn't have guessed it possible, but Harry Wilson somehow managed to look even angrier as recognition dawned.

Debbie finished her goodbyes and strode toward the door without giving Annie a second look. Desperately, she hoped her father would follow suit and she could say goodbye to Liam without their eavesdropping, but her father stood rigid.

"Call me if you need anything," she whispered discreetly, but her dad heard anyway.

"Oh, don't bother. Annie won't be answering her phone for awhile," Harry interrupted, crossing the marble floor in a few long strides and hauling his daughter to her feet. Liam managed to squeeze her hand one last time before she was literally pulled out of his grasp and propelled toward the exit. Needlessly, her father added a terse. "Let's go."

Knowing how desperate she looked, but not caring, Annie twisted in his grasp and stared over her shoulder. Liam held her gaze, his icy blue eyes still brighter than anything else in her rapidly graying world. The further her father dragged her from that bench, the tighter the anxiety squeezed her lungs. Already the feeling of Liam's arms around her was fading in her memory.

A uniformed police officer approached the bench and released the cuff, but just in case Liam had the idea he'd be freed, that hope was immediately dashed when the same cuff was slapped over his unchained wrist. He tried to hide it, but Annie caught the slight wince as his battered hands were scrapped by the metal. The officer walked away, gesturing for him to follow. Giving her one last fleeting look, his eyes tight with regret, he turned and disappeared around a corner.

Harry pushed open the main door and the balmy Beverly Hills night air wafted around her, cutting off her view of the inside completely. Any other time, the warmth would have soothed her, but now it barely registered. Biting her lip so hard she tasted blood, Annie fought to steady her breathing. She would be okay. Grounded for life, probably, but okay. The reassurances rang hollow, however, because while she had known telling the truth about last year would change everything, she had counted on something. Without even realizing, she'd relied on Liam being there. On their friendship, unbroken by the horrible truth about her actions, carrying her through what was sure to be the worst summer of her life.

Now, with the truth about the stolen coins and nearly beating Jasper to death…Shuddering, she swallowed the lump in her throat. Now she had the horrible feeling she was never going to see him again


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A week after the visit to the Beverly Hills PD, Annie discovered a new level of stir-crazy. Immediately and predictably, upon arriving home that night Debbie and Harry Wilson embraced their favorite form of adolescent discipline and grounded her. No car, no cell, no computer and with school out no leaving the house unless it involved bleeding and broken bones. They gave no end date to her private purgatory and at the time she hadn't the heart to push the subject. People who take a year to confess to their drunken hit and runs really don't have the leverage to negotiate. Life in the Wilson household would have been bad enough with one child being an utter disappointment. In a special two-for-one disobedience extravaganza Dixon had used the distraction of her confession and taken off to Australia with Ivy, despite Debbie's wishes. Hardly relishing the idea of bearing the brunt of her parents' anger, Annie acquiesced to her punishment without complaint and barely left the sanctuary of her room.

All the time alone, however, played with her mind. What little sleep she managed was plagued with vivid nightmares. She'd spent a year getting used to the ones that focused on the hit and run, months grappling with those featuring Jasper, but a new worry now took center stage, rapidly pushing her to the edge of panic. By the end of her first week in exile the guilt she felt over leaving Liam at the precinct and the heavy weight of the unknown consumed her.

During the day, she was a model prisoner. At night she crept down to her father's study, where he'd confiscated her cell and computer, in the vain hope that he'd forgotten to lock the door. Every time she was disappointed. A text, just one text assuring her that Liam wasn't rotting in a jail cell because his jerk of a stepfather refused to make bail would help her sleep easier. It didn't even have to be from him. At this point she'd take what she could get. Unfortunately, Harry never forgot to lock the door. Just like Debbie never forgot to do a sweep of the house for contraband every night before heading to bed.

So, once again, midnight came and went while sleep refused. Instead her imagination played out a vivid scenario of Liam's stepfather leaving him in jail, implying that it was the price he had to pay for stealing his precious coins. As if she was there, she could see Liam sitting on a bare cot and hear the echoing ring of the cell door as it clanged shut with finality. During the day, when the sun shined high in the California sky and the breeze off the ocean blew gently through her window, Annie could brush off the nightmares. On some level she knew Liam would be as okay as she was. Miserable, perhaps, but okay. His life would not become a real life version of _The Shawshank Redemption. _At night, however, her emotions ruled and fear led the way with paranoia following close behind.

Squeezing her eyes tight she tried to shut out the image of a guard locking Liam up and literally throwing out the key. The harder she fought the more stubbornly the visions persisted. Grumbling, she rolled onto her side and pulled the covers over her head. The rustling almost drowned out the quiet tapping of something small hitting the side of the house. When the foreign sound registered, she stilled and frowned trying to identify it. Silence answered. Just as she shook her head to dismiss the noise, a louder tap had her rolling back to look out the window. This time, the next volley was immediate. A small rock flew up from below and bounced harmlessly off the glass. Curiosity overruled apprehension and propelled her out of bed. She tried to peek through the glass and stay in the shadows, but what she saw was so amazing and unexpected she nearly launched herself through the open window.

"Oh my god. Liam?" she gasped and called out loudly before clapping a hand over her mouth. She was asleep and dreaming. Had to be. Nothing else would explain how the boy she hadn't been able to get out of her head had suddenly appeared in her back yard throwing rocks at her bedroom window. Her heart leapt to her throat and much to her embarrassment tears filled her eyes. Blinking them back, she silently said a prayer of thanks that he was too far away to see. Bracing her hands on the window sill, she leaned further out and whispered as loudly as she dared. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Dixon," he shrugged casually before breaking out into a grin that nearly broke her heart, she'd been so sure she would never see it again. "What do you think I'm doing here?"

"I don't…know, I-. Well, just…just stay there. I-I'll be right down," she stammered like a fool and backed up hitting her head on the sill in haste. Liam stifled a snort at her clumsiness and she shot him a dirty look as she rubbed the sore spot. Leaping up and over her bed, she was halfway out the door before the common sense of a seventeen year old girl brought her to an abrupt stop. Quickly, she gave herself a once over in the full length mirror. The cami and shorts she'd thrown on as pajamas matched, so that was a plus. Her hair was in a messy knot on top of her head. Hmm, minus. But she'd brushed her teeth and she didn't have any mascara smudged under her eyes, so really, in the dark it would be okay, right?

"Screw it," she told her reflection and grabbed a pair of flip flops before opening her door again, slowly this time, and peered down the hall toward her parents' bedroom. Luck was on her side that night as the door was closed. Even so, she cringed at every little noise until she was safely on the first floor, out the sliding back door and running free and clear in the soft grass outside.

Just as she'd asked, Liam hadn't moved. Wearing jeans and a dark grey hoodie, he had his hands stuffed in his pockets as he waited on the meticulously mowed grass below her window. When he saw her, the smile returned and an impulse to hurl herself at him, throw her arms around his neck and never let go was so strong, her common sense had no chance to intervene. The flip flops fell silently and disappeared into the grass as she nearly flew to him. When she made contact her momentum forced him to take a few steps back. Burying her face in the crook of his neck and breathing him in, she had a brief moment of self-consciousness that maybe he wasn't expecting such an enthusiastic greeting. Maybe she'd just made a complete idiot of herself. But in the next instant, strong arms circled her completely and her feet left the ground as he held her tight. His lips brushed the bare skin of her neck (accidentally, she told herself) and a shiver ran down her spine, banishing all doubt.

"I missed you," she whispered, only realizing she'd spoken aloud when he replied, his breath tickling the shell of her ear.

"I missed you, too."

After a few delicious moments that were all too short, Annie's feet touched the soft grass. As he pulled away, every place his hands touched her skin burned like she'd been branded. Again, she shivered and belatedly wished she'd grabbed a sweatshirt instead of the abandoned flip flops. With Liam standing in front of her, live and in person however, she had little time to dwell.

"I can't believe you're really here," she murmured, unconscious of the brilliant smile lighting up her face as she drank in the sight of him.

"I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"Ha, are you kidding?" she shook her head ruefully. A flurry of nerves danced in her stomach and she bit her lip. "I've barely slept all week. I've been…too worried."

Liam's expression darkened and he took a step closer, invading her space in a way that made her feel secure instead of uneasy. Still, she had to crane her neck to look him in the eye. "Why…did something else happen?

"No, I…Well, Dixon went to Australia without permission, but-"

"Seriously?" he asked, clearly a little impressed. "Damn. That's…bold."

"Yeah, and annoying. Without him around Harry and Debbie have zero distractions. They're putting all their energy into watching me like a hawk."

He smiled sympathetically. "Grounded?"

"Just a little. No cell, no computer, no car. No leaving the house unless it's on fire" she admitted with a rueful smirk. He was still so close, his scent wrapped around her, free from the smoke that had clung to him at the station. Despite his presence, her nightmares suddenly felt very fresh and real. "That's not what I've been worrying about, though."

"Then what-"

"Wait," Annie whispered, holding up a hand to silence him. The shock of Liam's sudden appearance had worn off enough for her to remember where they were. She looked toward the house and just as she'd suspected, the windows to her parents' bedroom were open. Taking his hand, she started back the way she came. "Come with me."

Silently, she led him to the back terrace, past the pool and beyond the rocks that effectively fenced in the property. By the time the beach, sparkling in the moonlight, came into view there was no need to guide him and she relaxed her grip, expecting him to let go, more than pleased when he didn't.

A few yards past the last outcropping of stone, a lone rock stood, the top worn relatively smooth over the years as beach goers had used it as a refuge from the gritty sand. When Annie reached it, she finally released Liam's hand and hopped onto the surface, still warm from baking in the afternoon sun. "Now, we can talk."

"So…" he prompted without preamble. Leaning against the rock, he shoved his hands in the pockets of his hoodie again and eyed her expectantly.

"I was worried about you," she explained after a brief hesitation.

"Me?"

"Don't look so surprised," she rolled her eyes, her cheeks growing hot despite herself. "The last time I saw you a cop was leading you away in handcuffs. I've had a week for my imagination to go into overdrive. I can get really creative. What happened?"

Liam sighed and looked down the beach as it disappeared into the dark. "I spent the night in jail."

Her face fell. "Liam."

"It wasn't the first time," he said wryly in response to her distress. Shrugging, he made an attempt at mirth. "Probably won't be the last."

"Not funny."

"But true," he insisted. "I'm not…who I was, but I'm not a saint, Annie. I'm not a good guy."

"That's a matter of opinion."

His eyes cut back to hers and held for a moment. Before she could discern what was written there, he looked away again. "Anyway, my step dad bailed me out in the morning. Took me home. I tried to explain what happened, he yelled. I told him about the coins, he yelled some more and threatened to send me away just like I knew he would."

Annie's stomach fell and the residual heat emanating from the rock did nothing to ease the sudden chill in her core. She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Liam was still talking.

"I'd probably be back at that freaking camp by now if not for one…stupid technicality."

"What's that?"

"I broke Jasper's nose and gave him a concussion. He's pressing charges. Aggravated assault. Legally, I can't leave town," he frowned as he looked down and kicked at the sand. "My step dad is so pissed I almost want to thank the guy."

Now her stomach rolled with nausea even as her heart lifted. Warring emotions of relief and dread consumed her. Liam wasn't going anywhere, but his life could be ruined. Apparently, her imagination wasn't really as creative as she thought; she'd never anticipated that Jasper's toxic reach would extend beyond her and taint the people she cared about. "But…what about the boat? He set it on fire. I mean, doesn't that count for anything?"

"Yeah, if I could prove it," he agreed, joining her now on the rock. "I told the cops what happened, but there's no evidence. Whatever he used to start the fire he must have left on the boat. And that's gone. So now it's my word against the guy with two broken legs and a concussion." He shot her another rueful smile. "Guess who they believe."

Annie closed her eyes and tried to swallow the frustration threatening to choke her. Dropping her head to her knees she groaned. "This is all my fault."

"Yeah, you said that the other night," Liam puzzled, shifting on the rock to face her. His jeans brushed against her bare toes. "Why do you think that?"

"It's just…he's… my ex," she swallowed, knowing full well that was no explanation. Plenty of people had exes. Few of them used arson as an expression of jealousy.

"That just means you're a crappy judge of character, not that it's your fault he wigged out and burned down my boat," he argued, clearly needing the truth to really understand. For a few silent moments she tried to rally her courage. More than anything, she wanted to tell him what really went on between her and Jasper, but it was so…embarrassing. Giving in to blackmail just to avoid the consequences of killing a man? As humiliation made her cheeks burn, she felt the warm brush of fingertips sliding up her arm to settle on her bare shoulder. When she lifted her head, Liam was somehow closer, filling her field of vision. She shivered again, this time as much from the breeze off the ocean as much as his touch. His brow furrowed. "You're cold."

"No, Liam. I-I'm fine," she protested, but the goosebumps on her arms betrayed her and once again she lamented not grabbing a sweatshirt. Not that she needed to. Before she could blink, Liam had pulled off his hoodie and wrapped it around her shoulders. The dark green, long sleeved shirt he wore underneath fit him so perfectly, she had to clamp her lips closed and focus on threading her arms through the sleeves to keep from staring. Instantly she was lost in the scent of him.

"Better?"

"Hmmm?" she murmured, contemplating the lingering traces of his cologne again and trying to figure it out. Then the weight of his gaze cut through and she felt her cheeks flaming again. "Oh, yeah. Yes. I-thank you."

"Good. Now, tell me."

Still, she hesitated. "Liam-."

"What are you so afraid of?"

"It's not fear," she protested. "It's…embarrassing."

"Annie! Seriously?" he laughed and shook his head in disbelief. "Come on. It can't be worse than you seeing me handcuffed to a bench."

"You were embarrassed by that?"

His smile faded and once again he leveled her with that indiscernible gaze, but this time she caught a glimpse of pain in the forced curve of his lips. He nodded once. "Yeah. So…tell me." Reaching for her arm, he tugged the too long sleeve out of the way so his fingers could curl through hers and stared at her expectantly.

"Fine…Jasper blackmailed me," she said in a breathless rush, ripping the band-aid off all at once. Liam's grip tightened on hers and she focused on their entwined hands to give her strength as she pushed ahead. She confessed everything. That the man she hit with her car was Jasper's uncle and he'd known all along. That what she believed to be real feelings was nothing but a lie, the drug dealing, and the cowardly way she allowed herself to be manipulated. She didn't realize she was crying until Liam cupped her cheek and brushed away the tears. The tenderness in his touch was more than she deserved but she closed her eyes and leaned into it, so grateful that he'd forced her to come clean. "When I was finally too disgusted with myself to lie any more, I…I called him on his bluff. I told him if he brought me down, I'd take him with me. I didn't hear from him for awhile after that, but I knew he was there. I could…_feel _him watching me. Then one night he called and threatened to kill himself."

"What the hell…"

"He claimed he'd…fallen in love with me. That he couldn't live without me. I found him up on the Hollywood sign. That's how he broke his legs."

"He really tried to do it?" Liam demanded, incredulous.

"Or fell. I'm not really sure. I don't care. I just…couldn't have his death on my conscious, t-too," she explained as a broken sob escaped her tight control. Immediately, his arms were around her and Annie accepted the comfort. Instead of tears, she silently clung to him, listening to the night. The waves crashing on the shore, the wind through the rocks, the steady beat of his heart. Finally, the relief she'd been craving arrived. Finally, there were no more secrets. The knot in her stomach started to dissolve, leaving a calm void in its wake. Without moving, she took a deep breath and spoke, her voice steady. "So. Now you know everything."

"Everything except how it's your fault Jasper torched my boat."

Annie blinked in surprise. "Liam! Were you… don't pretend you don't understand," she huffed, suddenly annoyed as she pushed away and climbed off the rock. The weight of the secrets was disappearing, but all the guilt remained. Sand shifted beneath her feet as put a few feet between them. Liam's sweatshirt fell nearly to her knees, making her feel like a child, but she pushed up the sleeves and fought to make him understand. "He never would have gone after your boat if we hadn't been hanging out."

"So, what…every stupid thing Jasper does is your responsibility because you've got a past?" he demanded, climbing off the rock and striding toward her. Even this far away she could see his blue eyes flash in the moonlight.

"No, that's…that's not what I mean, but-"

"No. No 'buts', Annie," he argued with mounting frustration. "If I have learned anything in the past year it's that no one is responsible for my actions but me. What Jasper did to my boat, that's on him, not you."

She stared at him a moment, wanting to accept the absolution he offered. But she shook her head and pushed, "No, it's not…it's just not that simple."

Liam groaned and threw his hands toward the sky. Annie's heart was racing. They'd never fought like this before and now of all times she should be panicked. What if he took a page out of Dixon's book and decided he was tired of her drama? Instead of fear, however, a strange exhilaration raced through her veins. Silently, she waited for whatever new argument he tried. As usual, he surprised her.

"Fine, you win," he shrugged and slowly closed the distance between them until she had to crane her neck to look him in the eye. "It's all you. Your fault that Jasper is psychotic. Your fault that I can't control my temper. And this? This is definitely your fault."

And before she had time to gasp in surprise, he took her face in both hands and kissed her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When their lips met, Liam was just as surprised as Annie. He hadn't driven all the way to the Wilson's house with the intention of making out with her. To say it hadn't crossed his mind would be a lie, but the only plan he'd formed ended when she came out of the house. Now as her mouth moved with his, returning the impromptu kiss, he decided plans were highly overrated.

Her lips were soft and angling for better access, he used his teeth on her bottom lip. She responded with a soft whimper and clutched at his shirt, grazing his stomach and making the muscles clench. He forgot to breathe, she tasted so good. He wanted more, so he teased her again, raking the soft flesh. She tightened her grip and pulled him closer, opening her mouth to him completely.

Too much distance separated them, so he dropped his hands to her waist. She was drowning in his stupid sweatshirt and he wished he'd never brought it. Grabbing fistfuls of the material, he twisted and dragged her closer. In response, he felt those small hands trailing up his chest, over his shoulders and threading through his hair. Deliberately, he sampled the skin along her jaw and down the smooth column of her throat. Annie gasped and clenched her fists, her nails dragging across his scalp, making him moan.

A mutual need for air forced them to draw apart. Chest heaving as he struggled to temper his breathing, Liam watched as her heavy lidded eyes eventually found their way to his. Swallowing, he tried to speak. "Annie -."

Her gaze dropped back to his lips and with a shake of her head, she pulled him into another scorching kiss. Fine with him. Talk was overrated, too. In the weeks since they'd started hanging out, Liam had spent more time talking to her than he had any other girl he'd ever known. A jarring thought suddenly ambushed him and he wondered if this kiss would ruin what they had. The way her tongue now met his stroke for stroke quickly shoved the doubt out of his mind.

Eventually, they had to separate or pass out from lack of oxygen. After spending a few moments catching their breath Annie was the first to speak. "Wow."

"Yeah," he agreed, making no move to let her go. She was no longer standing on her toes and he had to dip his head to meet her eye. "I swear, that wasn't part of the plan when I came over."

"Am I complaining?" she asked, unable to keep the smile from her face.

He pretended to think about that as he deliberately licked his lips, tasting her there. Then he smirked. "No."

Much to his amusement, she blushed. "Part of the plan or not, keep that up and maybe this summer won't be so bad after all."

Looking back, Liam couldn't decide what about that perfect moment triggered the memory of his step dad's vow, nearly a week old, but suddenly his stomach became a knot of anxiety as he remembered.

"_I've warned you, Liam. I have given you so many chances to get your act together, but I've had it. I'm done. By the end of the summer you will be someone else's problem." _

"Um, right. Listen, Annie, I, uh, I've got to get going," he stammered lamely, his mouth suddenly dry. Releasing his grip on the sweatshirt, he reached for her hands still around his neck and gently unwound them. A lame attempt at putting distance between them. Fitting, since what he really wanted was less distance and preferably fewer clothes separating them.

She blinked and took a moment to find her voice. "Oh, um, okay. Right, it's…late. Or early," she laughed, but the light in her eyes faded and faint frown lines marred her brow.

"Yeah, I…I should get home before my step dad gets up or he'll tear me a new one," he explained, dropping her hands now and backing toward the path leading up to her house. The line was lame, but not exactly a lie. He seriously doubted Jeffery would have a clue whether he was home or not, but if he found out he'd been out all night there would be hell to pay.

Annie's eyebrows shot up in alarm. "God, I'm sorry. I didn't even think about how much trouble you must be in."

In the dark, he winced. As if he didn't feel bad enough already. But he plastered on that devil may care smirk and tried not to show it. "Don't worry about it."

"It's a little late for that," she said softly. "I can't help worrying about you."

The urgent buzzing of his alarm yanked Liam out of the dream. Lying on his stomach, his face buried in the pillow, he groped blindly in the direction of the offending noise. After a couple fruitless attempts, he was finally rewarded with blessed silence. Groaning, he lifted his head and with bleary eyes peered at the glowing red numbers, immediately wishing he could take it back. Four thirty in the morning. In exactly half an hour his step dad would be leaving for work and if Liam had any hope of making his court date, he needed to be in the car with him. Just when he thought he couldn't hate his step father more, the bastard had decided to confiscate his car keys.

With effort, he rolled onto his back, kicking the covers that had been pooled around his waist all the way off. The windows were open, letting in the cool breeze off the ocean, but his bare skin was clammy with sweat. That probably had more to do with the dream than the weather, he admitted ruefully. He pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes and scrubbed away the last vestiges of sleep. Blinking at the ceiling, he willed himself not to remember, but in the past week he'd had the same dream so many times every second was etched onto his brain in painfully vivid detail. If he'd known how that night was going to end he never would have kissed her. No matter how much he enjoyed it.

Everything about that kiss had been perfect, the way she'd frozen in surprise only to melt into it and kiss him back with that soft little whimper of need… Cursing, he leveraged himself out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. He stripped off his boxers and stepped in the shower, twisting the knob all the way to the right. The water erupting from the showerhead rained down like ice. Liam braced his hands against the tiled wall, letting the freezing liquid soak his hair and run down his back.

Minutes passed and eventually his pulse slowed. Goose bumps broke out on his arms and chest, but he refused to move. Liam hadn't been completely honest with Annie. The charges against him did require him to stay in town, but regardless of the outcome, he was gone. His step dad had made that brutally clear. As soon as the case was settled he'd be shipped off to military school, preferably on the other side of the planet.

"_By the end of the summer you will be someone else's problem." _

Someone else's problem. Once again, his step dad's voice echoed perfectly in his head and he curled his hands into fists against the cold tiles. Annie had mentioned the summer, the future and he'd heard that voice as well, reminding him that his life was sinking faster than the Titanic. If he wasn't careful, he'd take her with him and he'd be damned if he'd let that happen. So even though it killed him to do it, he let his step dad, let the threats win. For what felt like the first time in his life he did the right thing and instantly wished he could take it back. He missed Annie. If he really let himself think about it, his heart actually hurt.

When his teeth started to chatter, Liam finally shut off the water, but he didn't move. Lingering, he let the cold water run down his body and pool on the tiled floor. Every day that passed since that night just got harder and his anger only intensified. He hated Jasper for torching his boat, but he hated him even more for what he'd done to Annie. He hated his step father for condemning him and the smug way he seemed to be enjoying it. He even hated his mother for stubbornly clinging to a marriage with a loser who cheated on her. Most of all, though, Liam hated himself for proving everybody right. He was damaged goods and no matter how hard he tried there was nothing he could do to change it.

"This sucks," he grumbled, reaching out of the shower for a towel. Freezing now, but at least thoroughly awake, he dried off, wrapped the towel around his waist and grabbed his toothbrush.

A soft knock on his bedroom door preceded his mother's sleepy voice. "Liam, honey? Are you up?"

"Not by choice," he muttered before calling a little louder. "Yeah."

"Good. Jeffery's waiting downstairs."

He frowned and glanced into the darkened bedroom. "Yeah, well tell _Jeffery _I have ten minutes."

"Liam," his mother sighed, an expression he knew well and no matter how much practice he got, he was never able to harden his heart against it.

"Tell him I'll be down in a minute," he amended. The door clicked shut just as softly as it had opened and he hurried through brushing his teeth. Back in his room he saw that his mother had gone through his closet and laid out the dark blue suit Jeffery had insisted he wear. As if the day wasn't already bad enough.

With three minutes to spare Liam arrived in the kitchen, ready to go save for his open collar and the tie slung around his neck. His mother stood at the counter pouring a cup of coffee while his step dad sat at the table, his nose buried in the _Times_. Colleen smiled and held out the cup to him.

"You're actually on time. Are you practicing your good behavior already?" Jeffery asked without lifting his gaze from the paper. " I hear that goes over well in the juvenile detention centers."

Liam clenched his jaw. "Why would I be late? I don't actually like listening to you scream at me."

"Well, Liam, I don't know," his step father lowered the paper and looked at him coldly. "Maybe for the same reason you keep getting arrested. You have no respect for authority and can't control your temper."

"Right, just like you can't keep it in your pants."

"Okay, Liam enough," Colleen held up her hands. "Please. It's way too early to for this."

Clamping his lips shut, he took a sip of the too hot coffee and scalded his mouth. This wasn't going to work. A snowball had a better chance in hell than he did of surviving the morning with his step father. His mother came over to him now, a smile plastered to her face, but tears sparkled in his eyes. Instantly, he regretted the dig at Jeffery's infidelity. The only person it really hurt was his mom.

"You look very nice," she said, buttoning his collar and making quick work of the tie. He tried to appear grateful even though the constricting get up was threatening to choke him.

"I'm leaving in five minutes," Jeffery declared, tossing the paper in a heap on the table next to the empty coffee mug. Liam watched him stalk out of the kitchen and tried not to imagine punching him in the face. Again.

"I don't think I can do this," he admitted when the man was out of earshot.

"Well, you should have thought of that before you stole those coins or were beating that poor boy into a concussion."

"The only thing I was thinking about when I was hitting Jasper was my boat burning and blowing up a few yards away."

Silent for a moment, Colleen tightened the knot of his tie and made her way to the kitchen table to pick up the mess Jeffery couldn't be bothered with. "I believe you were provoked, Liam, but that doesn't change anything. You were arrested. You knew what would happen if you started getting into trouble again and now you have to accept the consequences."

He wanted to scream. Instead he took another huge, burning gulp of his coffee. When the urge to throw the cup across the room faded, he tried a different approach. "I still don't see why I can't just go to court by myself. The lawyer will be there. I don't need Jeffery there waiting for me to mess everything up."

"He's trying to be supportive –."

"When has he ever tried to support me?"

Colleen sighed heavily and set the coffee mug down on the counter so hard, he winced. "Fine. If you refuse to see that it's for your own good, then consider it your punishment. Or do you think you don't have one coming for what's happened in the past few weeks?"

"No, I…" he sighed and his shoulders slumped. Defeated, he walked slowly to the sink and poured the remaining coffee down the drain. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, sweetie, I know you are," she smiled sadly, brushing his hair back and touching his cheek. "Just…try to be civil and the hearing will be over before you know it."

"How about I just don't speak. That might be easier."

She chuckled and gave him a hug. "Whatever works. I love you."

"Love you, too," he murmured, returning the embrace for a moment. When he pulled away a cloud of dread enveloped him. This was going to be the hardest six hours of his life.

Annie studied herself in the full length mirror, trying to decide if the cream blouse, navy pencil skirt and matching blazer made her look responsible or just old. In a matter of hours she'd be standing before a judge to plead guilty to vehicular manslaughter and she desperately wanted to look right.

"What says 'I'm sorry and I'll never drink and drive again'?" she mused, pulling her hair into a makeshift pony tail and studying the effect. In truth, she was milking the conundrum far more than necessary. Her mother had promised her the outfit was perfect, but the court date and her potential outfit were actually a pleasant distraction from her other concerns. Sighing, she released her hair, letting it fall around her shoulders in straight auburn locks. Somehow, in the past week agonizing about the hit and run had become a pleasant diversion.

Two days after Liam's midnight visit, her father moved out. Apparently, when it looked like he and her mother were bonding together over their parental discipline duties, they'd also been drawing up papers and discussing living arrangements. Her parents had broken the news together in a rare conversation that hadn't revolved around the hit and run or her grounding. Stoically, she'd listened to their promises that the divorce wasn't her or Dixon's fault, that they both loved her and always would. Once every After School Special cliché had been fulfilled, Annie had slowly climbed the stairs to her room. Too numb to cry, she'd curled up in a ball on her bed and desperately wished that the only person she wanted to talk to wasn't Liam.

Liam.

His sweatshirt was draped over the back of her desk chair and she picked it up now as she crossed to her bed. Mindful of the skirt and potential wrinkles, she sat gingerly. She wished she could say she hadn't spent each night praying he'd visit her again, wished she could promise she hadn't wrapped herself in his sweatshirt each night just to feel close to him, but she'd only be lying to herself. She tried to guess what he was doing at that moment. Maybe surfing or working on a new boat, she mused trying not to entertain the familiar hope that he was sitting pathetically in his room, missing her as much as she missed him. Closing her eyes, she held the shirt up to her face and breathed in the scent of him.

Vividly, she recalled the night on the beach. The way he'd held her, talked to her…kissed her. With a groan, she flopped back on the bed, forgetting the carefully chosen outfit completely. She could still feel his lips on hers and the way his hands framed her face. More than once those lips and hands had visited her dreams letting her relive the make out session with a much better ending.

Ugh. That ending. Annie had replayed the night over and over again in her mind so many times she could do it backwards, but she still had no idea what had caused Liam to shift from practically devouring her to pulling away and barely meeting her eye. Alternately, she'd tried to blame his friendship with Dixon, his relationship with Naomi or even the run-ins he'd had with her father at school, but the only explanation that backed up his quick about face was the simplest as well.

Liam regretted kissing her. That's all there was to it. Annie had come to the conclusion countless times over the past seven days, but it never hurt less and she couldn't stop rehashing it in hopes of arriving at a different conclusion. He'd kissed her on impulse and after the euphoria wore off, realized it was a mistake. The only thing saving her from crippling humiliation was the fact that he'd initiated everything.

Despite that devastating knowledge, she still longed to see him. She had feelings for him, yes, but a good portion of those feelings were friendship and she missed theirs. She wanted to talk to him about her parents and how much it hurt that her dad was gone. Ask him how his step dad was treating him and if he knew when he'd go to court about the assault charges. She wanted their relationship to return to the way it was before he kissed her, if that was the only way she could have him in her life. When she really let herself dwell, she missed him so much it hurt to breathe.

"Annie, are you ready?"

"Coming!" she cried, instantly pulled from her musings by her mom's voice at the foot of the stairs. Scrambling, she pushed off the sweatshirt and leapt from the bed. En route to the mirror, she slipped her feet into the most conservative shoes she owned and straightened her skirt. The girl that looked back at her from the glass appeared only slightly disheveled. A quick brush of her hair and she was ready.

Debbie waited patiently at the foot of the stairs. Since her parents had broken the news about the divorce, her imprisonment had become a lot less stressful. No restrictions had been lifted, but her mother was at least smiling again. Now she nodded her approval at Annie's outfit. "You look very nice. Appropriate."

"Thank you," she smiled bravely even though the butterflies in her stomach had turned into rocks.

"Everything will be okay," her mother promised, evidently not fooled by the happy face. "The lawyer says the judge will most likely accept the deal he worked out with the prosecutor and we'll be home by lunchtime."

"Most likely," she repeated faintly as she climbed into the passenger seat of the car. She reminded herself that the hit and run was her worry of choice. As her mom climbed into the driver's seat she wondered with mounting horror if the courtroom would be full of people to witness her disgrace.

With the key halfway to the ignition, Debbie stopped and turned to her daughter. "Annie, I'm sorry your father can't be here. He has that interview at the prep school and he's in no position to try rescheduling. "

Annie blinked in surprise and turned to her mother. "I know. It's okay. I'm just glad you're here and that I don't have to do this alone."

"Oh, Annie," her mother signed, touching her cheek. "I know we've been really hard on you, but…you're a good kid. I haven't said it, but I admire you for telling the truth. You probably could have gotten away with it, but you took responsibility. Not a lot of people would do that."

Liam would. He did. The thought popped into her head as her mother backed out of the car park and navigated the ostentatious driveway. The dull ache of missing him throbbed faintly. She thought about her father out on a job interview and the hearing. As they drove she wondered if she'd ever be at peace again.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

By the time Debbie pulled into the parking lot adjacent to the courthouse, Annie's stomach was a mass of knots. The resolve to do the right thing was crumbling in the daunting face of actually doing the right thing. The sum total of her knowledge of the legal system was gleaned from TruTV marathons over the past few weeks. With shaking hands she opened the passenger door and slipped out onto the baking pavement, envisioning a courtroom full of journalists, video equipment and bereaved family members all there to witness her moment of shame.

"I don't think I can do this," she whispered, staring up at the monolith building.

"Yes, you can, sweetie," her mom promised, joining her by the car and slipping a supportive arm around her thin shoulders. "This is just a formality anyway. The hard part is already over."

"Which part was that again?"

"Telling the truth."

"Right. Right," she nodded and drew a deep breath. Stifling an overwhelming urge to reach for her mom's hand like she had when she was a little girl, Annie forced her feet to move. "Let's get this over with."

After climbing a flight of stairs that would have made Rocky proud, they approached the entrance to the courthouse. Debbie didn't hesitate and as she still had her arm around Annie's shoulders, she couldn't either. The lobby was expansive and cold. Rather than the dark, depressing wood and tight spaces she'd imagined, white marble – much like the police station – and chrome seemed to be the designer's materials of choice. Ficus trees were scattered about, rooted in specially made pots set into the marble floor, a half-hearted attempt to make the lobby minutely less intimidating. It didn't work. Like everything else in Beverly Hills, it looked more like the entrance to a five star hotel than a hall of justice.

Much to Annie's relief, nobody noticed her as she entered. Her nightmares of being accosted a la Paris Hilton by paparazzi proved ridiculously unfounded and she'd never been happier to be wrong. The lobby was bustling quietly with various people all completely absorbed in their own problems. The vice of terror constricting her lungs loosened enough for her to take a full breath.

"I think we're supposed to check in and get security passes…over there," Debbie scanned the room and gestured toward what appeared to be a reception area near the back of the large space. A cluster of harried looking people waited impatiently in queue.

Annie swallowed. "Do you want me to…get in line…or something?"

"I'll do it," she offered after giving her daughter an appraising look. Smiling slightly, she nodded toward a collection of stiff and uncomfortable looking black leather sofas. "Why don't you go sit down before you hyperventilate and pass out."

Annie rolled her eyes even as she offered her mother a sheepish smile. Glancing around the lobby, she located the most out of the way seat and made a beeline for it. The black leather bench was between two stone pillars and masked by the ficus trees. The perfect refuge. Nobody would find her unless they were looking. She'd just passed the first pillar, her attention so focused on reaching the bench she didn't noticed the figure leaning against the side invisible from the main entrance until he called her name.

"Annie?"

She froze at the familiar voice. Surprise robbed her of breath and she felt her face flush bright red. She knew that voice, had wished to hear it so badly in the past week she'd dreamed of nothing else. Fantasy, however, was always so much simpler than reality. Turning slowly, she faced him, marginally relieved to see the shock written all over his face. Swallowing around her suddenly dry throat, she tried to smile.

"Liam," she said, nerves turning her voice into a high-pitched parody of itself. Of all the scenarios she'd imagined over the past week, running into him at the courthouse had never crossed her mind. Stupid, she now realized, considering trouble with the law was something they now shared in common. Helplessly, she tried not to think about their kiss as she admired the way his broad shoulders filled out the suit jacket. The dark blue made his eyes look even more like liquid ice. Glancing away she closed her eyes and stammered the first thing that came to mind. "What-what are you…what are you doing here?"

As soon as the words left her mouth she wanted to reach out and shove them back in. _Duh, Annie! _Clearly, Liam was here for the same reason she was. Luckily, he paid no attention to the grasp she _didn't _have on the obvious and answered simply. "Pre-trial hearing. I'm here to enter my plea, I guess. You?"

"More of post confession hope the judge accepts my plea bargain…thing," she tried to joke as she struggled with relentless thoughts of the way his lips had felt against hers. "I'm here to…receive my sentence."

"Ah. Nervous?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets and closing the space between by a few steps. Having him that close made her feel strangely vulnerable and secure at the same time. She managed a tight smile.

"On a scale of one to ten…probably a fifteen."

"You'll be okay," he promised and she was jealous of his confidence.

"That's what people keep telling me, but I can't seem to believe it."

"The judge will go easy on you. You confessed, you cooperated. You don't have a record and you're a minor," he rattled off the facts with the practice of someone who'd heard the words countless times before. Annie had heard those same words from the police officer she'd confessed to, her lawyer and both her parents on several occasions, but hearing them from Liam actually made her believe it.

"Besides," he continued, stepping closer and reaching toward her. Annie's eyes went wide and she held her breath as his hand skimmed over her shoulder. She tried not to be disappointed when he smoothed the lapel of her jacket where it had flipped and then quickly stepped back. "You, um, you look the part."

"What-what part?"

"Responsible, remorseful…innocent," he cleared his throat and looked at the ground, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. "Everything you are. A good girl."

A good girl. Not quite an insult, but there was a note of regret in his voice that made her wonder. Awkward now, she clasped her hands and stared at them, silently hating that the kiss ever happened. At that moment she would have done anything to erase it from existence and get back the Liam who'd talked to her about ferrets and let her pull him into a fountain. The one who'd been so giddily excited to show her the finished boat of which he'd been so proud he'd literally dragged her onboard. Swallowing, she kept her gaze downcast. "Liam, can we just…go back to - ."

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."

"What?" Annie's eyes went wide alarm and her head shot up automatically. Instead of addressing her, however, Liam was staring over her shoulder at something toward the back of the lobby. She turned, following his seething gaze. It took her a moment to discern what had set him off, but when she did her reaction was much the same. "Oh my god. Is that…that's your step dad."

"Yeah," he replied tersely. "Hitting on your mom."

"Ew," she grimaced as she stared. Like roadkill on the side of the highway, she couldn't look away. While Jeffery Sarkossian didn't have her mother bent over backwards with his tongue down her throat like that blond they'd caught him with before, there was no mistaking the body language, the "I've got a secret and I'll tell only you" smiles. The initial disgust was joined by a wave of nausea. Suddenly her parents' divorce seemed very, very real.

"I'm gonna kill him," Liam stated plainly and even managed to take a few steps toward them before his words registered. She caught his hand, but his momentum actually tugged her forward.

"Wait, Liam, no," she hissed, trying to pull him back to the half hidden bench.

"He's hitting on your _mother, _Annie."

"Yeah, I know and I'm sure we'll both need therapy," she quipped, fighting the nausea and the tears as she tried in vain to stop him. "But do you really think the courthouse is the best place to attack your step father?"

"You know, I expect _anything_ from him," he said, turning so suddenly Annie barely had time to stop before she crashed into his chest. "But I always thought your mom…the way you and Dixon talk about your parents I thought being married actually meant something to them."

Months had passed since she'd last fought with Liam, so it took her a moment to realize some of his anger was now directed at her. The harsh rebuke sparked her own temper and she tossed his hand away. "So did I, but I guess we're both wrong. Apparently, the whole 'til death do us part' means as little to my mom as it does to your step dad."

"What are you talking about?"

"My dad moved out this week," she stated, looking past him at her mother and Jeffery in disgust. Helplessness overwhelmed her, drowning her anger and her vision started to blur with tears. Tearing her gaze away from the spectacle, she returned to the bench and sat heavily on the deceptively uncomfortable seat. She closed her eyes and twin tears slipped down her cheeks. "My parents are getting divorced."

For a moment, the silence was deafening. Annie welcomed it as she struggled to reign in her emotions. She needed to focus on the hearing, not have another stupid emotional breakdown in front of Liam. Biting down on her lip, she tried to distract herself with the pain.

The bench shifted as Liam joined her. Tentatively, he touched her shoulder. "Annie…Annie, I'm sorry."

She let his voice wash over her, felt the pressure of his hand grow more confident as he rubbed her back. At first she tried to be stoic and not immediately give in to the intense desire to melt into him and cry on his shoulder. Every time they were together lately, she just ended up bawling and she was sick of using him as her security blanket – even if he seemed to be a very willing blanket.

Eventually, however, he took the decision out of her hands and wrapped his arm completely around her, gently coaxing her to him. Pressing her forehead into his shoulder, she clenched her fist around the lapel of his jacket. He wrapped his other arm around her and held her tighter. The news of her parent's divorce had left her numb. Alone, she'd been unwilling to let herself feel anything about it. Now, with him there the dam began to break, but instead of the debilitating sorrow she'd expected, a new frustration reignited her temper. Abruptly, she pushed him away. Liam released her, but concern creased his brow. "Annie?"

"I'm so sick of this," she whispered furiously and swiped at the tears still staining her cheeks. It took great effort to keep her voice low.

"Of what?"

"Everything," she realized. "Of being miserable and helpless. Of all these _things _happening to me – like my parents getting divorced – that I have to sit around and take. I just…Ugh, I just wanna…I don't know…hit something."

Liam gazed at her thoughtfully and then tipped his head toward the reception area. "I'll go hold my step dad and you can take your best shot."

The utter absurdity of the statement rendered her speechless. "Liam!"

"What?"

"I'm serious," she glared at him.

"So am I," he insisted, but his eyes twinkled as he watched her. _Listened _to her. He listened to her so completely, better than anybody else she'd ever known. Like she was the only person who mattered in his world. Mattered in a completely platonic, non-kissing sort of way, of course. The reminder left a little ache of longing in her heart and she was suddenly right back where she started with memories of the kiss leaving her breathless and awkward. Again.

Annie sighed heavily, knowing she couldn't ignore the kiss. They had to address it, now matter how much it would hurt her to hear Liam confirm what she already knew. She just had to believe it would be okay. Even now, he was still there for her, still trying to cheer her up and make her smile. That had to count for something. "Liam, we need to talk about what happened the other night. About the kiss. I know that you…"

The lobby doors swung open and a lone figure hobbled through on crutches, destroying her train of thought. Annie stared, recognition dawning slowly as the blood drained from her face and turned to ice in her veins. The kiss was forgotten. Liam frowned and followed her gaze, tensing when he recognized Jasper making his way to a man waiting for him on the other side of the room. She could barely draw breath to speak. "What the hell is he doing here?"

"My hearing," Liam murmured, understanding filtering through the shock of seeing Jasper for the first time since beating him senseless on the dock. He exhaled heavily. "I didn't even think about it, but of course he'd be here. He's the prosecution's only witness." Annie stood suddenly and he just managed to grab her hand before she stalked across the marble floor. "What are you doing?"

"He's the one who should be on trial," she hissed through clenched teeth. The injustice of Liam's persecution and Jasper's lies gave all her anger and frustration focus. She looked down at the hand gripping hers and tugged. "Let me go."

"So you can what?" he demanded, rising now and using his considerable height and weight advantage to pull her behind the pillars and out of sight should Jasper happen to glance their way. He maneuvered her so that her back was pressed against the cold stone, using his arms on either side of her to effectively trap her there. Brown eyes blazed at him as he continued. "What are you gonna do in the middle of the courthouse lobby?"

"I don't…I don't know," she admitted. "But Liam, this isn't fair. He burned down your boat, he stalked me for months and sold drugs to Adrianna and pushed Navid down a flight of stairs, and _you're _the one who's on trial. That's…that's so wrong."

"I know. So was my step dad hitting on your mom, but you were right. This isn't the place to do anything about it."

"Liam!" Jeffery's sharp voice carried clearly to them, despite their hiding place. Liam grimaced and swore, dropping his chin to his chest. A heavy cloud of dread enveloped her and she remembered why they were both there. Her heart started pounding so loudly she was afraid it would burst from her chest. She swallowed. "It's time, isn't it? What are you going to plead?"

Taken aback, he blinked. "Guilty."

"Don't," she clutched his arm. "Don't plead guilty."

"Annie, I _am _guilty," Liam insisted.

"But so is Jasper," she argued, her voice low with urgency. Whatever truce she and Jasper had called had gone out the window when he torched Liam's boat. The idea of him getting away with all his crimes while Liam was punished for one stupid fight was an astounding injustice. Even with her limited knowledge of the legal system she knew Liam's plea had very little to do with Jasper being held accountable, but something compelled her to press the issue. "If you plead guilty and don't put up a fight he gets away with everything."

Liam straightened, glancing toward the reception desk. Indecision was etched into every line of his tense features and the rigid set of his shoulders. Annie bit her lip, eyes wide as she held her breath. Shaking his head, he drew a breath. "I can't…it's not gonna matter-"

"Liam, now!" Jeffery suddenly appeared by the far pillar, impatiently checking his watch. Annie watched, mesmerized and heartbroken, as Liam's entire demeanor instantly changed. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he set his features in a mask of indifference and followed after his stepfather. Only his eyes gave him away as he shook his head almost imperceptibly and gave her one last pleading glance.

They disappeared through the security checkpoint at the back of the lobby, Jasper and his attorney following more slowly on their heels. Alone now, Annie sank to the bench and tried to reign in her tumultuous thoughts. The rational part of her brain struggled to convince her to focus on her own hearing and not take for granted that the deal would go as planned. That Liam had his step dad and everything would be fine. The emotional part twisted in worry, convinced that her fate didn't matter if Liam was sent away.

Two hours later and completely shell-shocked, Annie and Debbie exited the courthouse and began the long descent down the stairs. All the TruTV in the world couldn't have prepared her for what actually happened. Even without a single journalist or member of the public in the room, she had never been more terrified or felt more exposed than when she stood before the judge and offered her plea. The experience alone was enough to make her swear off any and all illegal activity for the rest of her life.

When she finally made it to the car and Debbie unlocked the doors, she climbed into the passenger seat and exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. A sense of closure dissolved what was left of the apprehension and guilt she'd been carrying for the past year. "It's finally over."

"Yes, it is," Debbie agreed with her own sigh of relief. "And all things considered community service, probation and alcohol management classes are a pretty fair sentence."

"You're not going to hear me argue," she replied. Much to her relief the judge had accepted the terms agreed upon by her lawyer and the prosecutor. Liam had been right about everything. Looking back at the courthouse, she wondered if he was still inside.

"I have something for you," Debbie said, digging in her purse. "Now, this doesn't mean you're not grounded anymore, but your father and I agreed that two weeks of isolation was probably enough. Here you go."

Debbie held out her cell phone and Annie couldn't contain her jubilation. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," her mother echoed with a grin. "Now, if you can manage to stay out of trouble for awhile, I won't have any reason to take that back."

"Oh trust me, I'm completely through with trouble," Annie promised absently, turning on her phone and skimming through the obscene number of texts she'd built up over the past two weeks. They could wait for later. Scrolling through the L's she quickly sent an urgent text to Liam. _Meet me tonight. The beach. It's important. _

Nodding in approval, she went back and started working through the text messages. She'd stay out of trouble and being grounded she had plenty of time to figure out a way to get Liam out of trouble too.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Moonlight poured through the windows of Liam's darkened bedroom, throwing shadows across the walls in sharp relief. Lying on his back in bed, he stared at the clock, watching the red numbers creep closer and closer to midnight. He was already late. Even if he started right now and put the pedal to the floor, he still wouldn't make it to Annie's on time. Not for the first time, he picked up his cell and started to send her a text only to give up and toss the phone aside without composing a word.

Common sense told him not to go. He had an excellent excuse. Jeffery left town on a business trip directly after the hearing and took Liam's keys with him. That left him with two options: sit at home, bored out of his skull and missing Annie or hotwire his car. Since he actually knew how to do it, the decision should have been an easy one and yet he'd been hesitating for the past forty-five minutes.

The courthouse had been brutal. He hated the awkwardness and second guessing, of being afraid to touch her even in comfort when she'd brought up her parents' divorce. Everything about their friendship had been so organic and he'd shot that to hell by acting on one stupid impulse that even now he couldn't fully regret. Liam knew exactly what he wanted – to be with her, be able to act on that impulse and kiss her whenever he felt like it – but that had never been the problem.

The red numbers continued their relentless progression to midnight and he narrowed his eyes at the clock. The smart – and safe – move would be to text Annie and tell her _a_ truth; that his step dad had his keys and he had no way of getting to her. That excuse could lead to another and another until the trial was over and he got shipped off to whatever military school or wilderness bootcamp his step father had in mind. With both of them effectively grounded, that morning at the courthouse could conceivably be the last time they ever saw each other. Decision made by taking the path of least resistance. It would be easy.

And he couldn't do it.

Without giving himself time to second guess, he acted on another impulse. Rolling off the bed, he shoved his cell in his back pocket. Snagging a wire hangar from his closet, he made his way quietly through the house so as not to wake his mother. As usual, Colleen had deferred to her husband when it came to discipline and while she wouldn't try to stop Liam if she caught him sneaking out, she'd give him that disappointed look that always made him feel like the worst son on the planet. Now that he'd finally made up his mind to go, he didn't want anything stopping him. His house keys were with his car keys, so he swiped the key to the front door from his mom's set. With luck, he'd have it back before she even noticed it was gone.

Silently, he slipped out the front door and jogged down the driveway to his car. The GTO was a hulking beast in the shadows, but he stroked the perfectly maintained paintjob as he approached like he would a beloved pet. He made quick work of the hangar, unwinding and straightening it so he could slip it through the miniscule space between the window and the weather stripping to reach the handle inside the car. As expected, breaking in was easy and within a few seconds he'd popped the lock.

"Sorry about this, baby," he murmured as he slid into the driver's seat and popped off the panel beneath the steering column. Several tries and a couple of mild electric shocks later the engine roared to life. Grinning, he replaced the panel and backed out of the driveway. As long as traffic cooperated he'd be at Annie's in twenty minutes.

Settling into the drive, the adrenalin high of his escape waned and he once again was faced with the dilemma of what to do about that kiss. Even if he wanted to, there was no way to ignore it; the courthouse was proof of that. He knew Annie wanted to discuss it. He might have played dumb and let other things distract him, but her attempts to bring it up hadn't been lost on him.

Again, he contemplated lying and playing it off as an impulse he shouldn't have followed, that they were better as friends. Liam tried the words out in his head, even said them aloud in the car, just to get a feel for them, but every syllable sounded false. Amazing, given the practice he'd had worming his way out of romantic entanglements over the years. He'd never had to work this hard to lie to a girl.

Arriving at a sudden decision, he stomped on the gas pedal, weaving around a few slower moving vehicles as the freeway opened up in front of him. Forget the lies. If he had to work so hard at coming up with an even marginally believable one, maybe that was a sign. Ignoring the sudden pounding of his heart, he set his jaw and decided…not to decide at all. He'd leave it all to Annie. He'd tell her the truth and let her choose if she wanted to waste her summer on a guy who'd be gone by fall.

"Wow, Annie," Silver's awed voice rang clearly over the line as Annie sat on the lone rock and watched the waves crash on the shore. "I can't believe you've been hiding this for an entire year. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, at the time we weren't exactly best friends. I was scared," she replied, cradling the phone between her shoulder and chin as she leaned back on the rock. Heat from the sun baked stone bled through her jean skirt and warmed her bare legs. The breeze off the ocean was still warm. She'd just unloaded the entire sordid affair of the hit and run – Jasper included – on Silver, in an attempt to distract herself from checking the time every five seconds. Liam was late. "And after I found out Jasper's real angle I was so embarrassed, I just…I don't know, I couldn't tell anybody. I wanted it to be over."

"Yeah, I can certainly understand that. So, what are you going to do for community service?"

"There's this rehab facility for teenagers that does outpatient alcohol management classes," she explained, glancing over her shoulder in hopes that the slight sound she thought she heard was Liam approaching. "My mom found it. I figure I can kill two birds with one stone by volunteering there during the week, too."

"Speaking of your mom, how long are you going to be under house arrest?"

Annie laughed. "I haven't worked up the guts to ask about that, yet. I just got my cell back today. I don't want to push it."

"Understood," Silver assured her just as the gentle breeze off the ocean was replaced by a strong gust. It whistled over the mouthpiece of the phone. "Are you – are you outside?"

"Yeah, I'm on the beach behind our house," she replied, climbing to her feet and standing on her toes. The moonlight wasn't as strong this evening and she couldn't see much past the rock outcropping. Squinting, she tried to discern which shadows could possibly be a person walking toward her and continued without thinking. "I'm pretty sure I can argue that it still counts as part of the property. Liam was supposed to meet me, but he's late."

There was a long pause during which she realized what she'd just revealed. _Oh shit,_ she closed her eyes and sunk back to the rock. She'd never tried to keep it a secret that she and Liam had been spending more time together, but waiting for him on a private beach in the middle of the night…The implications were obvious and clearly not lost on Silver.

"Liam is meeting you. On the beach in the middle of the night. As in Liam Court. As in Naomi's ex boyfriend."

"As in my friend," she added, automatically defensive. "We're just hanging out."

"Of course. And I'm sure Navid will be heading over tomorrow night to hang out with you in the moonlight on a romantic beach."

"Geez, Silver!" she exclaimed and jumped off the rock to pace in the sand. "We are hanging out, that's all. It's not like Liam's coming over here so we can strip naked and do it in the sand."

"Who's stripping naked?"

Annie froze, her back to the shore and felt her cheeks flush. Squeezing her eyes shut, she spun around and opened them one at a time, praying she'd been hearing things and Liam wouldn't be standing behind her. Even though her embarrassment only deepened when she saw that tantalizing smirk on his face, she wasn't disappointed. "Silver, Liam's here, I've got to go."

"Annie, wait –."

"We'll talk later, bye!" she promised quickly ending the call before her friend could offer any further commentary on the wisdom – or lack thereof – in hanging out with Liam. Stuffing her phone in her pocket, she smiled bravely despite the constant blushing. "Hello."

"Hi. Sorry, I'm late," he said, crossing the sand.

"Oh, I'd say your timing was perfect," she waved a hand, wondering if her face was as red as his shirt. "I'm glad you came, though. I was starting to wonder if you were gonna show."

"Yeah, I…had a little transportation problem."

"Did something happen to your car?" she asked, eyes wide. There were few things Liam cared about more than his car.

"No, not the car so much as the keys," he explained. "My step dad took them with him on his business trip."

"So…how did you get here?"

He shrugged. "I hotwired it."

Annie gaped. "You…you hotwired…well, of course you did. Of course you'd know how to do that."

"It's not that hard," he chuckled, leaning casually on the rock. "Especially on older cars."

"So…your step dad took your keys," she repeated, slowly approaching the rock and leaning next to him. Now that the initial surprise of his arrival had faded, she was acutely aware of his presence as her bare arm brushed against his. She could feel the awkwardness of the morning encroaching on them. "Sounds like you're just as grounded as I am."

"Yeah," he agreed with a sigh and stared out at the waves. "I wasn't as stealth getting home last week as I'd hoped."

"Oh no, you got caught. I'm sorry," she grimaced in sympathy.

Liam shook his head, dismissing the apology. "It was worth it. I like…being with you."

The hesitancy in his voice spoke louder than the words. Annie could almost hear the rest of that thought. _I like being with you, but not _being _with you. _All day she'd pondered different ways to bring up the kiss and let him off the hook. She had an entire speech made up and memorized it right down to the inflection of the words. Even so, she couldn't rally the courage to bring it up, focusing instead on the other topic she'd spent most of the day agonizing over. "How did the hearing go?"

"Well, that depends on who you ask," he mused, folding his arms and casting her a sidelong glance. "If you ask my mom or my step dad or Jasper and his attorney it was a nightmare. If you ask me…it felt pretty good. I took your advice. Changed my plea."

She looked at him sharply, hardly daring to believe her ears. The kiss was momentarily forgotten. "Seriously?"

"Yup. Not guilty," he assured her with a grin.

"Oh, Liam, that's amazing," she cried, launching herself at him and pulling him into a fierce hug. Their combined momentum rocked them backwards.

"Yeah, I don't know what good it's gonna do, but it feels better than just taking it," he said when they pulled apart, his warm hands trailing down her arms. "So…thank you."

"Hold that thank you because I'm not done yet," she replied, crawling up onto the rock and sitting cross-legged. "I've got a plan."

The smile didn't slip from Liam's face, but he eyed her warily. "A plan?"

"Yes. Something that will make changing your plea completely worth it," she said, eyes shining. In between obsessing over the kiss she'd actually had a brilliant epiphany on how to help him. "I want to meet with your attorney and tell him everything that Jasper has done in the past year. The drugs, the stalking, everything."

"Why?"

"Well, he's the only witness, right?" she asked and when he nodded the affirmative, she absently grabbed his hand and plunged ahead. "Okay, so if we discredit him, show all the reasons why he'd be the type of person to set someone's boat on fire out of jealousy or whatever, it weakens the prosecution's case. That's exactly what you need to take the focus away from what you did."

Annie expected her excitement to be immediately contagious, but Liam merely continued to observe her with a quizzical expression. Only then did she begin to doubt that her plan was anything but brilliant. Then his gaze dropped to their hands, still joined where her fingers were wrapped tightly around his. Suddenly self conscious, she pulled her hand away, using it to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"It's just an idea," she mumbled, unfolding her legs and crawling off the rock. Each second that passed dragged her to a new level of embarrassment. "Probably a stupid one. I mean, what do I know about all this?"

"Annie -."

"I've spent way too much time watching Law and Order the past few weeks," she continued without taking a breath, barely aware that Liam had called her name. "God, I'm completely clueless. I expected the courtroom to be full of paparazzi for my hearing. How stupid, right? I'm nobody. Why would anybody care?"

"Annie, stop," he grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him, but she couldn't lift her eyes above his chest. So, he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "It's not a stupid idea. I think it's an awesome idea, I just…I wouldn't think you'd want to put yourself through that."

"Put myself through what?"

"Well, you know…reliving it now that you've just finally gotten the trial over with."

She frowned. "But if it could help you…why not?"

"I don't…know," he floundered for words and let her go, dropping his arms. "Don't you want to put that all behind you? Pretend it didn't happen or something?"

"I spent an entire year pretending it didn't happen. That doesn't make it go away," she answered honestly, finally finding the courage to look at him. She was surprised at what she read in his eyes, the pain and fear and helplessness were completely unmasked for once, nearly robbing her of breath. Swallowing, she continued. "It's kind of amazing what can happen in a year, you know. I mean, I never would have believed a year ago that you…well, you're my best friend, Liam. I miss you when you're not around and if there's anything I can do to keep you here I'm gonna do it.

"Which brings me to another point that we need to clear up," she continued, finally finding the courage to address the kiss…but not standing directly in front of him. Drawing a breath, she walked past him, using the space between them as a buffer from the overwhelming nearness of him. "I know you regret kissing me."

"I…what makes you think that?" he asked. Wrapping her arms around her torso, she turned and found him still facing the same direction, away from her. His hands were once again shoved in his pockets as he looked toward the sky.

"Oh, I don't know," she cracked a broken smile. "Maybe the way you ran out of here two seconds after it happened?"

"Annie - ," he turned, but she held up a hand.

"It's okay," she promised, amazed at how steady her voice was as she lied to him. Now if only she could keep her eyes from filling with tears, she might be able to salvage their friendship. "You're right."

"I am?"

"It would be…bad for us to be more than friends. For one thing, we're both grounded. I can't ask you to keep coming over here to see me every night and I don't know how to hotwire a car."

"I could teach you," he offered with a hint of a smile.

"I may take you up on that," she flashed a brief smile as well. "Then there's Naomi."

Reluctantly, he nodded his head. "Yeah, the way she reacted when she thought we hooked up was…intense. I can only guess how bad it would be if we got together now."

"But that's the least of it," she explained, shaking her head and speaking the closest thing to the truth yet. "Our lives are complicated enough right now. This past week not hearing from you just…sucked. I don't want to do it again. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me because of some stupid kiss. I…I want to forget it ever happened and just get back to the way we were. Do you…do you think you can do that or have we completely screwed things up?"

Again, he stared at her, this time his emotions safely hidden where she couldn't read them. Her heart started beating painfully in her chest as the ridiculous and renegade hope that she was wrong nagged at her resolve. He dropped his gaze and studied the sand as he approached her, looking out at the ocean and all around her before meeting her eye once more. With a reassuring smile he dashed the pitiful hope.

"Yeah," he nodded. "If that's what you want, I can do that."

To her surprise, genuine relief washed over her and for the first time all day she consciously touched him without hesitation. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she melted into him as he immediately returned the embrace. In that moment, she knew she'd done the right thing. No matter how much she wanted more, having him like this was better than risking it all and losing him completely. "Thank you."

"You know, you're my best friend, too, right?" he murmured right next to her ear. As he pulled away, she could have sworn he brushed his lips over her temple, but the sensation was so fleeting she couldn't be sure. "But I don't know if I can let you put yourself right back in the middle of this mess with Jasper."

"Wait, let me?" she raised an eyebrow, thrilled that he gave her something to argue that could pull them out of the weight of what they'd just discussed. "I don't need you to _let me _do anything. I'm doing this on my own."

"You really want to?" he pressed, still skeptical.

"I really do," she vowed with a decisive nod. In truth, there was nothing she wanted to do more. If her plan worked, it would really save them both. "In fact, I'll do it tomorrow."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

With only a few minutes to spare, Liam turned off the busy street into the shade of a covered parking enclosure. The tires on the Cadillac Escalade squealed in protest at the tight corner and he cursed his step dad once again for leaving the state with his keys. He might have been on time if he hadn't been forced to wait for his mom to return from a late lunch with friends so he could borrow her stupid car.

As he looked for a parking spot in the row closest to the building he spotted Annie. Clad in a bright red summer dress that hit just above her knee and left her arms bare, she stood out amidst the monotone suits of the business people speed walking up and down the sidewalk. A spot opened up close to the main doors and he grabbed it, throwing the huge SUV into park and killing the engine.

Annie was on her phone and he caught part of her conversation as he climbed out of the vehicle. "Yes, mom, I promise. I'm at the lawyer's office right now," she spotted him as he approached and waved, frowning at his current mode of transportation for a minute before rolling her eyes at something Debbie said. "Okay, I get that you don't trust me right now, but you Googled the mileage. You can check up on me when I get home…No, mom, it's fine. Liam's here. I've gotta go…Hi."

"Hey," he nodded. With effort he managed to keep his gaze from wandering over her and lingering in a very non 'just friends' way. "You're mom still not thrilled about you being here?"

"It's not _here _that's the problem," Annie sighed. "She's actually impressed that I'm being so 'civic minded' as she put it. It's the possible shirking of her duties as warden that's giving her problems. She has a meeting so she had to let me drive. Did you get a new car?"

"What that? Not a chance," he declared and shot a disgusted look over his shoulder at the ostentatious black Escalade. "It's my mom's. I hate that thing. It corners like a tank."

"I figured," she agreed with a smile. "That's not really you."

"Really," he raised a brow, surprised and more than a little flattered that she'd formed an opinion. "So what is me?"

"Oh…I haven't really given it much thought," she blushed, and tried to play aloof as she turned on her heel to enter the building. Liam used his long stride to beat her to the door and held it open for her.

"Why don't I believe you?" he wondered as she ducked under his arm and slipped inside.

"Because apparently I'm a really bad liar," she shook her head ruefully. The lobby of the building was much darker and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust. When they did, he found Annie, arms crossed, appraising him from head to toe. "Fine. I don't know anything about cars, but your GTO is just…you. A classic, jeans and t-shirt James Dean kinda car. That…what is that, an Escalade? It's all high maintenance, movie star wannabe. It's very Beverly Hills. And you're so not L.A."

"Says the girl who's lived hear for two years."

"Yeah, well that's a whole year longer than you," she argued, blushing prettily once again. She was adorable when she was flustered. "You're just more like the guys back in Kansas. And before you even make some Wizard of Oz joke, I meant that as a compliment."

"Alright," he laughed, letting her off the hook for the moment. "You're right, though. I feel like a tool driving that, but I thought taking my car when mom knows I don't have the keys would be like revealing state secrets or something."

"Smart boy," she agreed, her smile freezing slowly as the small talk ran its course, leaving them with nothing to discuss but the reason they were both standing in the lobby of a high powered law firm on a sunny summer afternoon. "So, I guess we should probably head upstairs, huh."

"Right," he nodded, keenly observing the obvious hesitance in the rigid set of her shoulders. "Look, Annie it's not too late. I'll understand if you want to back out of this."

A spark of fire burst through the apprehension in her eyes. "Liam, I swear. If you try to talk me out of this one more time…I'm gonna think you want to get sent away from me."

Now it was his turn to grow uneasy. Leaving her was the last thing he wanted to do, but rather than betray the lies he was letting her believe, he raised an eyebrow and deliberately pushed the button to call the elevator. When the door opened, he held out his hand to usher her in first. As she tossed him look and just as deliberately flounced in, he caught himself reaching out to touch her. A simple gesture, his hand on her lower back, something he'd probably done before without a second thought. Now, however, he closed his hand into a fist and swallowed. _Just friends, _he thought.

Liam's lawyer - or rather a lawyer employed by the firm who represented his step dad's business - had an office on the 10th floor. Although he hadn't made it to nearly enough meetings to satisfy his attorney, the receptionist knew him by sight and insisted on addressing him formally. The unobtrusive chime of the elevator announced their arrival and the middle aged woman behind the front desk zeroed in on him like an eagle on its prey.

"You're late, Mr. Court," she admonished before returning her attention to the computer screen in front of her.

"Yeah, I know," he admitted, eyeing the brass finished clock above her desk. "Sorry."

"Ms. Simmons has a very full plate these days. You'd do well to respect her time."

"I know, Mrs. Adams," he agreed with a subservient nod a the older woman as she turned away and addressed a phone, tapping a white speed dial button with a perfectly manicured finger. Leaning his forearms on the high edge of the desk, he dipped his head and murmured to Annie. "I get the same lecture every time I come in."

"Hmmm. Maybe you should try to be on time once in awhile," she whispered back with a wink.

"Ooo, touché," he grimaced, holding a hand to his heart for a moment, then shaking his head.

"Ms. Simmons is ready for you," Mrs. Adams announced, dismissing them with a gesture down a long hallway to the left of her desk.

"You ready?" he asked, studying her for signs of second guessing and willing to give her every opportunity to change her mind. Annie smiled brightly and even though he could tell it was forced, he nodded and this time led the way.

Amy Simmons was a junior attorney at the firm, but she took her job seriously. Liam studied her as she listened carefully to Annie's story. California blond hair pulled back in a severe bun at the nape of her neck, boring black business suit that screamed Take Me Seriously and reading glasses she normally wore at the tip of her nose. They camouflaged her age, but if he had to guess he'd put her in her early thirties. If he hadn't seen her in action already he would have suspected his step father of somehow trying to sabotage him by making the firm assign a rookie, but Amy knew what she was doing.

Eventually, he ran out of keen observations regarding his attorney. The conference room itself was sparsely furnished, so he had little option but to return his focus to Annie. Bracing himself, he tried to sit still as she reached the part in the story where Jasper started to blackmail her. Hearing it once was bad enough, twice made him wish for another shot at the guy. So far, she hadn't given away how nervous she was, but Liam knew the signs. The way she continuously tucked her hair behind her ear and bit her lip. If Amy hadn't been so concerned with taking notes, she probably would have noticed the way Annie's hands shook as she reached for the water glass.

Just as Annie was about to dive in to the stalking and subsequent suicide attempt, Amy stopped her. "Before you continue, I have a few questions."

"Um…okay," Annie nodded, clearly caught off guard, but trying not to show it. Liam shifted in his chair.

"You stated that Jasper was a drug dealer and pushed a friend of yours down a flight of stairs to protect that secret," Amy read from her notes and looked at her sharply over the rims of her glasses. "Did you witness this?"

"No…not personally."

She made a note on the yellow legal pad. "You said Jasper blackmailed you to keep you from breaking up with him. What did he have on you?"

"Oh, I-I thought I explained…Sorry," Annie stammered and wrapped both hands around the water glass. "He said if I didn't stay with him he'd tell everybody about the hit and run I was involved in last spring."

"The hit and run that left a man in a coma for three days before he died," Amy supplied formally and businesslike, taking a few more notes. Annie flinched and nodded, dropping her gaze to the table. Liam shifted in his seat, his jaw clenched. "Now, what led you to put a stop to the blackmail?"

Annie glanced at him and he offered her a small nod of encouragement. "I told you. I didn't want to pretend anymore."

The lawyer looked up expectantly and Annie's squirmed under the scrutinizing gaze. When she didn't offer anything else, Amy sighed and dropped her pen on the yellow legal pad. "That's it?"

Liam tensed and eyed the lawyer warily. Annie swallowed. "What do you mean?"

"You couldn't pretend anymore," she quoted with obvious skepticism. "After months of keeping secrets and agreeing to blackmail you just one day woke up and couldn't take it anymore? I don't buy that."

"It's what happened," Annie insisted in a small voice, staring at her hands.

"This is a waste of time," Amy decided, reaching to gather her things.

Annie lifted head, stricken. "What?"

"I need to devote my energy to building a case for my client, not wading through a bunch of half truths from a witness who claims she wants to help him, but not at the expense of her secrets," she explained matter-of-factly, but the crestfallen expression on Annie's face set Liam off.

"Hey, why don't you give her a break. Annie doesn't have to be here."

"And she shouldn't be until she's ready to give me full disclosure."

"What the hell are you even talking about?" he demanded, clenching his fists and leaning toward his attorney. With effort he managed to keep his voice down. "She told you why she ended things with Jasper."

"And I think there's more to it."

"He wanted me to have sex with him," Annie stated quietly, her cheeks flaming as red as her dress. Liam's jaw dropped as he turned to stare at her. For a moment he was at a loss for words, but eventually he managed to sputter one single syllable.

"What?"

"You heard me," she said quietly, wrapping her arms tightly around her torso.

"Jasper tried to blackmail you for sex?" he asked, shocked beyond tact. Now he really wanted another shot at the bastard. This time he'd break more than his nose.

"Did you?" the lawyer inquired.

"Seriously, Amy, what the hell!" Liam cried.

"No, I didn't," Annie promised through clenched teeth. Liam's hands were curled into fists so tight he could feel his fingernails digging into his palm. His pulse was racing, but the defiance in her voice kept him in check. Amy was getting to her, but she wouldn't crack. "Once I found out the truth about him I never slept with him again."

"That, I believe," Amy stated with a grim smile and resumed her note taking. Annie held her head high, but she refused to look at him. "Now, did the stalking start immediately after that?"

"Not right away," Annie continued after a shaky breath. Without interruption, she retold the story of Jasper's stalking her, the suicide attempt and the truce she thought they'd reached. Liam had heard the story before, but now with the unbelievable truth he'd just learned, he could barely keep tabs on his temper. Beneath him the chair was about as comfortable as a pile of rocks and he couldn't sit still. For a minute he pictured her in the courtroom, completely dwarfed by the oversized witness stand and judge's bench. That glorified ambulance chaser passing as Jasper's attorney would get off on dragging her through the sordid details of the blackmail. Again, he shifted, this time propping his elbows on his knees and fought the urge to bring the interview to a stop. At the trial, she'd be in the same room with Jasper. The idea made his skin crawl.

"So, you didn't actually see Jasper the night Liam's boat was set on fire," Amy said, the question implied.

"No," Annie shook her head, calm and collected once again after being able to tell the second half of her story without interruption. "He must have stayed out of sight until we docked the boat and Liam drove me home."

"Assuming that he started the fire during the half hour or so it took to drive from the marina to your residence?"

"Right."

Something in the lawyer's tone raised a red flag. Liam watched her warily and wasn't at all shocked when she began poking holes in Annie's theory. "Let me see if I have these details straight. You and Jasper came to an agreement after his suicide attempt and the stalking stopped. You haven't actually heard from him since, nor have you any proof he was even in the marina while you were there, let alone stewing in a jealous rage. Is that correct?"

"I…guess so," Annie faltered and finally glanced Liam's way again. "But it makes sense that –."

"A simple yes or no is all that's required."

Annie sighed and admitted reluctantly. "Yes."

"So your claims are actually unfounded accusations based on personal bias rather than proof."

"No," she challenged with steel in her eyes. "My claims are based on the fact that I _know _Jasper did this. I know what he's capable of, I don't have to see it."

"Actually, you do. It's called evidence. Something this defense is sorely lacking," Amy sighed and took off her glasses, tossing them on the yellow legal pad. "Okay, let me tell you what I know. I know the law. I know that despite Liam thinking I'm a cold-hearted bitch who's grilling his friend too hard, I've actually gone easy on you. I know that on cross-examination, Jasper's attorney would eat you alive. I know that although I believe your story, without proof to back it up opposing counsel could just use it to bury Liam even deeper."

Annie visibly paled and Liam looked incredulously at his attorney. "What does that mean?"

"Jasper's attorney is as sleazy as they come, but he's smart," she explained, turning her intimidating attention on him. "You've got a record filled with fights, delinquent behavior, disrupting the peace, drugs…need I go on?"

He glared at her.

"I thought so," she replied and pointed to Annie. "Your star character witness recently confessed to drunk driving and a hit and run that killed a man. Pair that with the fact that you haven't been able to sit still since this interview started and every time I asked her something marginally uncomfortable you jumped down my throat and you're giving Jasper's attorney the perfect opportunity. He'll lay into Annie until you can't control your temper any more and you'll end up in contempt of court. By the end of cross, he'll paint you two as Beverly Hills' answer to Bonnie and Clyde, maligning his client just to deflect attention from your own actions. Speaking of which, are you two sleeping together?"

Speechless, Liam could only slump back in the chair and shake his head. Annie blushed two shades redder than her dress this time. "No. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Absolutely nothing, but I can guarantee Jasper's attorney will bring it up, so you better figure out a way to answer the question without looking like you've been caught cheating on the SAT's."

Annie nodded, biting her lip and staring at the ceiling. Liam saw how her eyes sparkled, she was fighting tears. Silently, he cursed Amy as well as himself. He never would have guessed that Annie's testimony could be so damning, but he should have trusted his instinct and fought harder to talk her out of it. There was absolutely no reason she should be going through this. Amy had pushed her right back into the self-loathing and guilt she'd only recently shaken off. All because she wanted to help him.

"I, um…I need to go to the ladies' room," she murmured, her eyes downcast as she pushed the chair back from the table and made a hasty exit. Liam kept the urge to follow in check and waited until the door clicked shut behind her to turn on his attorney.

"What the hell was that?"

"Why in the world did I take this case?" Amy rolled her eyes and massaged her temples. "Liam, that was a reality check. I don't think your little friend understands just how much trouble you're in here."

"So you thought the best way to make a point was humiliating her?" he demanded, standing so abruptly his chair rolled into the wall with a dull thud. In two long strides he was around the table and at the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Amy demanded, rising much more gracefully than he had. "We have more work to do."

"No, we don't," he declared, pausing in the doorway. "I need to go find my friend and make sure she's okay."

"That's very noble, but you should really focus on your own problems," Amy remarked. Crossing her arms, she eyed him quizzically. "Do you have the slightest concept of how serious this is?"

"Oh, trust me. I do."

"You know the judge isn't going to give these past nine months of good behavior much credit," she continued as if he hadn't spoken. "Not when you blew your umpteenth chance to prove you don't belong in a juvenile detention center. This isn't some school yard fight, Liam. This is a kid with a broken nose and a concussion who spent three days in the hospital while you got off with a few bruised knuckles. A kid on crutches with a record as pure as the driven snow which, I don't think I have to remind you, makes yours look that much dirtier."

"You don't have to and yet you insist," he murmured, leaning against the doorframe with a nonchalance that belied the effect her words were actually having on him. At the moment he hated her, but he hated how right she was even more. "You can save the speech, okay? I know what my record looks like. I know how much trouble I'm in."

"Then why don't you act like it?" she cried, throwing her hands in the air and letting them fall to her sides with a slap. "Seriously, I understand Annie is your friend, but a good friend would understand that sometimes friendship has to come second to self preservation. What good are you to her if you're sent away?"

Liam didn't respond, picking at an imaginary flaw in the pristine oak doorframe. What could he say? That if he thought it would make any difference he would come in every day to build an unbreakable defense? That he'd give anything for this trial to be something other than a pointless stay of execution? Juvie or military school…what difference did it make, when win or lose, he was going to lose Annie anyway.

"I'll set up another appointment with Mrs. Adams before I leave," he promised and took off down the hall without a second glance.

The reception area was empty and silent, save for the constant clacking of Mrs. Adams' keyboard. Liam barely slowed down as he passed her desk. "Is my friend still in the bathroom?"

The clacking paused. "I believe so, yes."

"Thanks," he replied, making a beeline for the ladies room.

"Wait. What are you doing?" the receptionist actually rose from her cushy leather chair and leaned on her desk. "You can't go in there."

"What? Go in where? I'm sorry, I can't hear you," Liam gestured in mock helplessness as he backed into the ladies room, holding her gaze and daring her to do anything about it. Immediately inside the heavy swinging door was a small and empty waiting area. To his left, a doorway presumably lead to the actually bathroom. Ornately decorated chairs and even a small couch flanked the biggest mirror he'd ever seen. Toiletries were arranged neatly on graceful wood table polished to such a high sheen he actually flinched at the glare. His confidence faltered slightly. Cautiously, he moved toward the doorway. The last thing he wanted to deal with was some uppity Beverly Hills divorcee screaming at him for entering the holy domain of the women's restroom. The only thing he heard, however, was silence. The carpet of the waiting area gave way to expensive looking tile. Loitering near the break in the flooring he cleared his throat. "Annie? Are you, uh, still in here?"

For a moment, she didn't respond. Then finally he heard a delicate sniff and what might be described as a laugh. To someone clinically depressed. "Did you seriously follow me into the women's bathroom?"

"Yes. Yes, I did," he replied, smiling a little in relief. Unconcerned now, he turned the corner and found Annie standing by the sinks looking at him in the mirror. "And I think Mrs. Adams might call security, so we probably shouldn't hang out too long."

"I'll bet," she returned his smile but her eyes were red and she was twisting a mascara smudged hand towel between her fingers.

His grin faltered. This was all his fault. "Annie…I'm so sorry. I had no idea Amy would attack you like that," he joined her, leaning against the counter with his back to the mirror. Automatically, he reached out to touch her, but stopped himself just in time by crossing his arms. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she waved a dismissive hand, but her voice was thick with tears recently shed. She picked at the towel. "She's right anyway. I don't know what I was thinking. I have no proof. Of anything. Not the drugs, the blackmail, the stalking. Nothing. I'm sorry I wasted her time."

"I'm not. She's billing my step dad by the hour," he teased and nudged her gently with his elbow. Her small chuckle was more than enough reward.

"Well, then I'm sorry I wasted yours."

"Being with you is never a waste of time," he promised. With a glance around the room, he continued. "I mean, if nothing else I got to explore uncharted territory."

"What, the ladies' room?" she laughed, finally lifting her head enough to look him in the eye. He shrugged and grinned because she did. Rolling her eyes, she tossed the used towel into a small basket under the sink and looped her hand around the crook of his arm, tugging him toward the exit. "Come on. Let's get out of here before Mrs. Adams has you arrested."

The receptionist glared at him when they exited, so he flashed her a grin and waved. Annie elbowed him lightly in the ribs and shot him a look of disapproval, but a smile danced in her eyes. Once again being with her felt natural and normal and he was so relieved he barely noticed the prick of disappointment when she dropped her hand and put some space between them in the elevator.

"Liam…are you really as okay with all this as you seem?" she asked after a silent ride down to the ground floor.

Frowning, he used the excuse of holding the door for her again, to turn around and look at her. "Okay with what?"

"The charges against you, the trial, being sent away if you're found guilty," she listed the threats hanging over his head as they approached the Vue she shared with Dixon. Reaching the car, she stopped and looked at him full on for the first time since she'd run out of the conference room. "I mean, I don't expect you to be a basket case like I was, but…your, like, _really _zen about this. Is that real or some kind of show you think you have to keep up?"

Liam leaned against the car, considering how honest he wanted to be. In truth the trial was more of a blessing than a curse, an inconvenience keeping him in Beverly Hills, with her. Even if it was on borrowed time and he'd purposely sabotaged any chance of a relationship with her, he considered the whole ordeal a gift.

"I'm used to being in trouble," he said, resisting the urge to tuck a stray lock of hair that blew across her face back behind her ear. This explanation wasn't the truth, but it also wasn't lie. His world was rapidly becoming little more than a series of half truths and near confessions. "I don't know, it's almost easier that way. I don't have to be waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Annie eyed him skeptically for a moment before she nodded her head in acceptance. "Well, this is gonna sound awful, but I'm kinda glad you had all the experience so you could hold my hand through this. Not just today, but the past few months. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Anytime," he said sincerely, while his heart broke knowing he wouldn't be able to keep that promise.

Annie smiled a little shyly and started to maneuver past him to unlock the door. The car parked next to her was close, leaving little room to move. Even though Liam tried to give her enough space, she still brushed against him, the warm bare skin of her arm pressed against his chest and stomach. The scent of her perfume or shampoo filled his senses and he closed his eyes. At that moment he would have traded just about anything to have the right to wrap his arms around her and hold her. No wonder he'd so rarely done the right thing. It was too damn hard.

"Think you can get away tonight?" she asked once she'd slid into the driver's seat.

"I'll be there," he promised, with a grin and watched her pull carefully out of the parking enclosure and disappear around the corner. As soon as taillights faded, his face fell. Scowling, he dug in his pocket for the keys to the Escalade and marveled at how incredibly wrong she was. He wasn't okay with this, any of it. Not okay at all.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Annie yawned and relaxed in her seat as she turned onto the quiet residential street that would take her home. A week into her community service gig at the rehab center and she was so ready for the weekend. Not that the work was particularly exhausting, but after laying around for three weeks straight with nothing to do but relax and sleep, the rigid schedule required some adjustment. Staying up half the night with Liam wasn't helping either – not that she'd give it up for anything.

Keeping her eyes carefully on the road, she dug in her purse for her cell phone. A quick glance was enough to indicate she'd have to charge it again before she called him. The moon would be full that night and Liam had spent most of the day texting her, trying to convince her to let him teach her to surf. Annie had hesitated, not because she didn't want to learn but because she honestly didn't know if she could behave herself with him half naked and wet in the moonlight.

Rolling her eyes, she bit back a self deprecating smile. Since the debacle at his attorney's she and Liam had been inseparable. When he wasn't making midnight runs to hang out with her on the beach, they exchanged texts and phone calls like they were going out of style. She was glued more securely to her cell phone now than before she'd been grounded. As long as she didn't spend too much time thinking about how she was enjoying all the 'friends' and none of the 'benefits', being with Liam was the easiest thing in the world. They could talk about nothing for hours and never get bored. She felt like they'd been close forever, not just the past few months.

One topic, however, had surreptitiously become taboo. Neither of them mentioned Jasper or the trial. Since confessing literally everything to Amy Simmons, Annie was happy not to bring it up and Liam seemed content to act like everything was fine and there was no assault charge hanging over his head. As the days passed, however, a strange tension was building between them as the elephant in the room just got bigger. Eventually, it would have to come up again. She knew if worst came to worst, Liam would have to tell her goodbye.

Just the thought of losing him was enough to send her into a panic, so as she turned into her driveway, Annie happily latched onto the surprise of seeing Silver's Vespa parked next to her mother's SUV. Hastily, she parked the Vue and ran inside. Silver and Debbie were sitting at the kitchen table.

"Silver! What are you doing here?" she asked with a happy grin as she joined them. "Did the warden declare visiting day and forget to tell me?"

"Oh, aren't you just hilarious," Debbie spoke before Silver could return the greeting. "You seems to forget I could make this so much worse."

"I love you, mom," she smiled brightly and danced around the table, kissing her on the cheek with a loud smack. Debbie scrunched her face up in a mock grimace and pushed her away good naturedly. Standing, she moved to the counter and grabbed her purse.

"You're going to love me even more because I'm leaving you home alone for awhile. Don't push it," she warned, still smiling but serious now.

"Where are you going?" Annie asked, grabbing an apple and settling down in the chair her mom had just vacated.

Debbie buried her head in her purse as she looked for her keys. "I have a meeting with my attorney."

Annie nearly choked on her bite of apple as her throat suddenly closed. The dreaded 'D' word didn't need to be uttered for her to know what type of lawyer her mother was going to meet. Painfully, she swallowed. "Oh. Okay."

"I should be home in a couple of hours," her mom continued, heading toward the door. "Behave yourself."

The two girls sat in silence until the engine roared to life and Debbie pulled out of the driveway. Annie's initial glee at seeing her friend had paled significantly, but she forced a smile on her face anyway. "So…what brings you here? Not that I'm not thrilled to see someone other than therapists and recovering addicts."

Silver laughed. "I needed to see someone who could have an entire conversation without bringing up tennis. Teddy is in uber training mode and it's all he can talk about. Plus, we haven't hung out in…Wow, I don't even remember how long, which reminds me. How come you didn't mention the D word when we talked? I just had the most awkward conversation with your mom."

The smile fell away and Annie stared. "You and my mom talked about the divorce?"

"The div – No! I-I meant Dixon. I had no idea he'd gone to Australia," Silver stammered, her eyes wide as she sat up straighter and leaned across the table. "Are your parents getting divorced?"

"Yeah," she nodded. Tears filled Annie's eyes and she blinked furiously to keep them from falling. Liam was the only one she'd talked to about the divorce. Even though Silver knew her parents better and probably deserved to know the details, picking at that wound made her stomach roll. "I'm sorry, I really don't want to talk about it."

"That's okay," Silver quickly assured her. "Believe me, I understand."

"Thanks."

They sat in awkward silence for a moment while Annie struggled for something interesting and more importantly safe to talk about. She couldn't help but note how she never had this much trouble talking to Liam.

"Okay, I did not come over here to make you depressed," Silver declared, pressing both hands flat on the table and pushing to her feet. "It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood and you and I are going to go out and enjoy it."

Annie smiled, unable to resist Silver's enthusiasm. "Sounds good to me. As long as out means the back yard by the pool since that's about all of the neighborhood I'm allowed visit."

"What happened to arguing that the beach was part of the yard?" Silver asked coyly, taking Annie's hand and pulling her from the chair. "Or is that reserved for your midnight rendezvous with Liam?"

"I wondered how long it would be before you brought that up," she rolled her eyes, but could feel her cheeks flaming anyway. "Five whole minutes. Nice."

"Oh believe me, I held back," Silver assured her as they worked their way to the back of the house. "But now I want full disclosure. Tell me everything. As long as it doesn't involve tennis."

As much as Liam liked to shun all the things his step father's money bought, he had to admit the 57" widescreen plasma television was hard to resist. With more channels than even the most dedicated couch potato would know what to do with, the fact that his car keys were still MIA shouldn't have bothered him. Unfortunately, even seventeen different ESPNs couldn't stave off his cabin fever. He knew he was supposed to be grounded and that he deserved the punishment. Truth be told, he really didn't have anywhere specific he needed or wanted to be, but knowing that changed nothing. Even with the midnight trips to visit Annie he was starting to climb the walls and if he didn't get his stupid keys back, he was going to fry the wiring in his car.

Sprawled out on the couch, he surfed lazily through the channels for the second time in an hour, even though he knew he wouldn't find anything. "The definition of insanity," he muttered to himself. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Tossing the remote on the floor, he reached for his cell phone, toying with the notion of calling Annie. He had absolutely nothing to say, but that hadn't stopped them from talking for hours in the past.

Insanity, he mused, scrolling through their texts from earlier in the day. Was that what he was doing with Annie? Every night that he met her on the beach, every day when they co-dependently kept in contact, his resolve to keep things platonic weakened and yet he kept going back. He'd never been this much of a masochist before.

"Liam?"

"In the living room, mom," he yelled, shoving his phone back in his pocket and resuming his pointless channel surfing. Midnight couldn't come soon enough.

"How's it going?" his mother asked as she breezed into the room. She'd just returned from a shopping expedition and he could hear the crackle of the bags as she set them on the kitchen counter.

"Awesome."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Because you're a smart woman," he replied with a yawn and switched off the tv.

"True, but I think I can do better than that," she said, appearing suddenly behind the couch and leaning over it. She opened her hand and jingled a set of car keys above him. It took Liam a minute to realize they were his.

"Are you serious?" he asked, hesitant to even reach for the revered object in case she was just being cruel and planned to snatch the promise of freedom away at the last second.

"I am," she promised and let the keys fall to his chest as she went back to the kitchen.

He clutched at them and sat up. "How did you …"

"Jeffery got in early this morning, before you were up," she explained, putting groceries away herself as they hadn't yet hired a new housekeeper. "I convinced him that depriving you of your car wasn't the best way to make a point. Having to coordinate my schedule with yours was more of a punishment for me than you."

"And he bought that?"

"Liam," she admonished gently, still hoping that someday his gut reaction wouldn't be to expect the worst of his step father. "He _bought _that because it's true. And before you get too excited you're still grounded. You're free to use your car when you have court dates or meetings with your lawyer, but that's it."

Liam stared at the keys, his mind churning. Until that moment, he would have thought the earth would spin off its axis before Jeffery did him any favors. Working hard to sound casual, he spoke. "Jeffery must be in a pretty good mood."

"His business trip went very well," his mother confirmed. Out of habit he climbed over the back of the couch, something his step father hated but for once he wasn't doing to provoke him. Silently, he watched his mother start pulling items from the cupboards and the fridge as she began to prepare dinner.

"Do you…do you think maybe if you asked him now, he might change his mind?" he asked, holding his breath. Facing away from him, Colleen's sure movements faltered briefly.

"Change his mind about what?" she asked brightly, feigning ignorance. Liam closed his eyes, the sharp sting of defeat washing over him, and shook his head. When would he learn that nothing would ever change?

"Forget it," he muttered, turning to leave the room.

"Liam, wait," Colleen pleaded, following him to the base of the stairs leading to the second floor. Sullenly, he paused on the second stair and waited for the inevitable excuse. His mother didn't disappoint. Eyes brimming with sympathy and helplessness, she gazed up at him. "I know it's hard for you to understand, but Jeffery really does have your best interests at heart."

"Aw, come on, mom," he rolled his eyes and stared at the ceiling. "If you're gonna lie, at least come up with something better than that. He wants to send me away so I can be someone else's problem."

"That is not true," she argued, taking a few steps to cut down the height advantage he had over her. "Do you really think so little of me that I'd let him just get rid of you? Liam, you're my son. I want what's best for you."

"Then ask him to let me stay," he said, his turn to beg now. Making no effort to keep the desperation from his voice, he continued. "Please. He's got a 50/50 shot anyway, right? If I go down on the assault charges, he gets rid of me anyway."

"Liam-."

"I'll pay him back for the coins," he offered, without a clue as to how he'd make good on that promise. All that concerned him was making his mother understand how important it was that he stay in Beverly Hills, stay with Annie. In that moment, the fear of leaving her was enough to make his pulse race in panic. "I'll do anything, mom. I swear. Keep me under house arrest until I graduate, whatever. Just…just get him to let me stay."

An infinite sadness radiated from his mother's eyes as she reached to him and ran her fingers through his hair, her palm pressing his cheek. With tears hanging from her lashes, she shook her head. "I really thought getting you out of New York would be the best thing. I thought California could be a brand new beginning. But it's not any better, Liam. And I…I just don't know what else to do."

Liam dropped his chin to his chest. Without knowing, he'd started to hope. Now as that hope died, he withdrew and found relief in the numbness that washed over him. Gently, he pushed Colleen's hand away and climbed the remaining stairs. He couldn't feel anything . Not the carpet beneath his feet or the doorknob in his cold hand as he sought refuge in his room. Minutes later, as he stared out the window at the breathtaking ocean view and wondered idly how many more sunsets like this he'd get to see, his hand started throb. Disconnected, he registered the pain as if he were wrapped in cotton. Glancing down, he saw his fingers wrapped around his car keys. With conscious effort, he pried them open, noting with mild surprise that he'd been clutching those keys so tight they'd pierced the skin of his palm, leaving a bloody imprint of the metal behind.

Half an hour later, Annie and Silver relaxed on the plush deck chairs scattered around the pool. A large umbrella protected them from the heat of the day and provided Annie with a comfortable place to feel incredibly awkward. Choosing her words very carefully, she told her friend a version of the truth about Liam, leaving out a few glaring details.

"Wow," Silver breathed, absolutely stunned when Annie finished. Leaning back on the dark green cushions, she stared across the pool. Several times, she opened her mouth to speak, but no sounds came. Finally, all she could do was repeat herself. "Wow."

"Right?" Annie agreed, her nerves settling down now that she'd successfully made it through the entire story without the incriminating details of the kiss. "I saw Liam right after it happened when he was covered in blood and smelled like smoke and I still have trouble believing it sometimes."

Silver shook her head. "I knew Jasper was a jerk, but I had no idea…He really set Liam's boat on fire?"

"Blew it up."

"Why?"

"Why what?" Annie played dumb, the tenuous calm dissipating as Silver asked a very loaded question she'd been hoping to avoid.

"Why would Jasper set Liam's boat on fire?" she repeated, sitting up and turning in the seat to face her. "They didn't really know each other. Did they?"

Annie shifted uneasily and picked at a splinter in the otherwise pristine wooden table that matched the deck chairs. "No, not really."

"Then I don't get it," she murmured, lost in thought. Annie held her breath until the other girl eyed her shrewdly. "What aren't you telling me?"

"I…I might have been on the boat that night with Liam. Alone," she admitted reluctantly. Licking her lips, she stared hard at the tiled patio. "I guess Jasper got…jealous."

"Jealous? Jealous enough to set a boat on fire? What were you _doing_ alonewith Liam?"

"Nothing!" she cried, a little too forcefully. Desperate to make her friend believe, she leaned forward and insisted. "I swear, Silver, there's nothing going on between me and Liam. Jasper's just…crazy."

"Okay, okay," Silver held up her hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…that came out wrong. I believe you."

"Thank you," she replied, relaxing a little. If she didn't calm down, Silver would just keep suspecting she was hiding things and eventually get it out of her that she and Liam kissed. She wasn't ready to confess that. Not to Naomi's best friend. "We were just hanging out. He wanted to show me that he'd finished the boat."

"Naomi told me about that. He really did it?" Silver asked, impressed.

"Yup," she replied, doing her best not to let her pride shine so brightly it blinded her friend. "It was really beautiful. Which just makes it suck even more that it's gone."

Silver dropped her gaze to her hands. "You know, I'm glad," she said, after a thoughtful pause. "That nothing is going on between you and Liam."

Annie's stomach twisted painfully, even though she'd been anticipating this part of the conversation. Swallowing, she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Yeah. Me too," she lied. "Even if I weren't grounded indefinitely, it would be a terrible idea. I mean, it took forever for Naomi to forgive me when she thought Lim and I had just hooked up. If we actually got together she would - ."

"Have a meltdown of epic proportions," Silver offered.

"Right," she agreed, her heart breaking a little as her friend backed up the choice she'd made to keep things platonic with Liam. Masochistic to the end, however, she couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk more about him. Watching her friend carefully, she dug deeper. "They broke up, though, right? Do you think it's permanent?"

"Who knows?" Silver sighed, leaning back in the deck chair again. "Naomi sounded pretty done with him, but you know how she is. Acts like nothing bothers her, but underneath she's miserable. What's Liam say?"

"Not much," she said, wracking her brain trying to remember the last time Liam had actually mentioned his ex girlfriend. "Not at all, really."

"Then maybe it really is over," Silver shrugged. The patio fell silent as both girls entertained their own thoughts. Annie was nearly dizzy with relief that she hadn't told Silver about the kiss. Even though it led to nothing and never would, she didn't need to carry the weight of that secret around Naomi. Especially if she and Liam ever got back together. To her dismay, the thought nearly made her physically ill. Until Silver had brought it up, the idea honestly hadn't crossed her mind.

"You know, it's weird," the brunette mused after a few minutes.

"What?" Annie prompted, grateful for the distraction, after the other girl fell silent again. "What's weird?"

"Well, we're sitting here putting all this thought into Naomi's feelings if you and Liam were to get together…and I don't think she'd do the same."

"What do you mean?"

"Look, I love Naomi, but I know her," she shrugged. "Call it a character flaw, but if she were in your shoes, spending all kinds of one on one time with a single Liam, if she wanted him, I don't think she'd hold back just because he's your ex."

Annie closed her eyes. Masochist or not, this line of conversation needed to end before it drove her to frustrated tears. Forcing nonchalance, she smiled brightly. "Well, it's a good thing I don't want Liam. I don't have to worry about any of that. I just have to worry about a way to get him out of this."

"This being the very serious criminal charges against him?"

She held up a hand. "You don't have to tell me how much trouble he's in, believe me. I had that point hammered into my brain by his lawyer," she assured Silver. "I just can't believe there's no way to make Jasper pay for everything he's done."

"It's too bad you can't get him to confess," she mused, settling deeper into the cushions and closing her eyes. "You wouldn't need any evidence then."

Annie stared, rolling the words around in her head, trying them out. A confession. Jasper on the record with the truth about that night. "Silver, that's perfect. That's absolutely perfect."

Silver opened one eye, frowning. "I was kidding."

"No, it's great. I can get Jasper to confess and Liam's off the hook."

"Annie, come on, I wasn't being serious," Silver insisted, sitting up again and rounding on her friend with wide eyes. "After everything Jasper's done, why would you even want to be in the same room with him?"

A little stab of fear poked at her excitement, but couldn't deflate it. "Liam helped me through…so much, okay? When I didn't think I could talk to anybody, I talked to him. And I repaid him by dragging my psycho ex into his life."

"This isn't your fault," she cried, eyeing her askance.

"I know," Annie insisted. "I know it's not my fault, but that doesn't matter. I need to fix this. And I know Jasper. He won't hurt me. I can get him to talk to me."

Silver studied her for a moment, her face screwed up in a mask of uncertainty. Finally, arriving at some decision, she sighed and grimly asked. "What's your plan?"

"Why?" Annie asked warily.

"I'm not letting you do this alone," she declared. "Liam's my friend, too. And if you've got the guts to confront your crazy pyro ex to save him, the least I can do is back you up. Especially since I opened my big mouth and put the idea in your head in the first place."

Smiling so hard she thought her face might crack, Annie jumped off her deck chair and nearly bowled Silver over with an enthusiastic hug. The most she'd been hoping for was a vow of secrecy and a promise to stay out of her way. Actual help was too good to be true. By the time they managed to disentangle themselves from each other, Silver was grinning too.

"Okay," Annie began, barely able to contain her enthusiasm. With something else to focus on, her feelings for Liam faded into the background and her focus was absolute. Once the idea had been planted, the details fell into place. Liam was as good as free. "Here's the plan."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

A beautiful full moon shined over the deserted beach, illuminating the crashing surf as wave after wave rolled to shore and foamed against the white sand. An unseasonably hot June left the ocean pleasantly warm even after sunset – a fact Annie was supremely grateful for as she sat with dubious balance on a borrowed surfboard in the waist-high water. At least she'd be comfortable while she made a fool of herself in front of Liam.

"Are you ready?"

She tore her gaze away from the building crests and did her best to hide her nerves as she looked at him, knowing even as she did that he'd see right through her. "Um, sure."

"You're such a bad liar," he shook his head and laughed. "You picked it up like a natural on land."

"Yeah, well…" Annie trailed off, eyeing a particularly huge wave as it built and crested. With Liam all gorgeous and half naked, wrapping his arms around her and touching all the bare skin her most practical bikini exposed, it was easy to pay attention. "I'll remember that in about ten minutes when I wipeout."

He put a hand to his heart. "Your lack of confidence in my teaching skills wounds me."

"I have every confidence in _your _skills," she pointed out with a wry grin. "I just have more in my lack of them. Especially when you're not going to be right there telling me what to do."

"You'll be fine," he assured her, then looked out to the waves and spoke so softly she almost didn't hear him. "You don't need me."

Annie frowned, forgetting the waves. He'd been off all night, more subdued than usual which was saying something considering how aloof and above it all he normally strived so hard appear. More than once she'd nearly asked what was wrong, but he seemed to anticipate when the conversation was winding down and would forge ahead into the next lesson.

"Alright, enough stalling," he announced as if reading her mind, forcing her to abandon her speculation. "Just remember what I told you. When the wave starts to push you, that's when you stand. Don't try to go on a diagonal until you get used to riding it straight to shore, okay?"

"Got it. Oh, wait! The leash ankle thing," she reached toward the back of the board and groped for the black cord. "I didn't put it on."

"Seriously? That's kind of important," he chided with a laugh, helping her search the dark waters for the equally dark leash. Discovering it first, he grabbed it and maneuvered the ungainly board closer to her with ease. "Give me your foot."

Annie raised her bare leg to the surface of the water, acutely aware of Liam's grip as he wrapped his hand around her ankle. Despite the moonlight being nearly as bright as day, he needed a better view and propped her leg on his thigh. The move pulled Annie close enough to see beads of water scattered over his bare chest and shoulders. Her pulse, already erratic in anticipation of taking on an actual wave, began to race. Suddenly conscious that she was staring, she clamped her mouth shut and focused on the way he was securing the leash around her ankle.

"What the hell did Dixon do to this thing?" Liam muttered as he grappled with the uncooperative latch.

"Maybe that's why he doesn't use it anymore," she suggested, her skin burning deliciously where he touched her. "It's broken."

"No, it's…there," he said as the leash finally snapped into place. He looked up at her and smirked. "You're not getting out of it that easy."

"I'm not trying to get out of it," she argued. He lifted a brow skeptically and tightened his grip on her ankle when she tried to pull away. "I'm not. Seriously, why would I try to get out of something that's probably going to get me killed? Who would do that? That'd just be crazy."

"You'll be fine," he insisted, still amused but sincere as he held her gaze. "I'll be right here. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

She nodded, believing him without qualm as a warmth spread through her. "I know you won't ."

Feeling a little like she was about to face a firing squad, Annie began paddling the way Liam had shown her. Looking for the channel in between breaking waves, she turned the board back toward shore and took a deep breath. She felt the pressure of the wave building behind her and paddled with it. Much to her surprise, the water and the board cooperated in perfect tandem, just as he'd promised. Soon, there was no need for her to do anything and she marveled at the way the surfboard glided smoothly on the water. Too late, she remembered she was supposed to stand and the result was disastrous. When she broke through the surface of the water, the surfboard was floating innocently beside her head. Swiping the water from her eyes, she sought out Liam and glared at him accusingly.

"Do it again," he ordered with a grin. "Nobody gets the up the first time."

"How about the second time?" she asked, climbing on the board with an ease that surprised her. She didn't wait for a response, determined this time to wipe that smug look off his face by doing everything perfect. A few minutes later, salt water was stinging her eyes once again as she came up from another dunking.

"Nope. Not the second time either," Liam teased.

"I hate you," she declared, laughing as she climbed back on. The next few runs proved equally frustrating, but each time Annie came closer to standing. Liam stopped giving her a hard time, critiquing what she was doing wrong and she corrected it. Somewhere in the giddy anticipation at the beginning of a wave and disappointment when she hit the water, she started to enjoy herself. She wanted to stand, not just to impress her teacher, but because the rush was addictive.

"You should probably call it quits," he called after she came up from yet another spill. While she climbed back on, he paddled toward her. "The waves are getting stronger."

"No, I can do it," she insisted, pushing wet hair out of her face. "I was so close that time."

"I know, but -"

"Just one more," she bargained. "One more and if I don't stand, I'll quit. I promise."

He looked out at the waves for a moment and then slid his gaze back toward her. The corner of his mouth hooked up in a smile and he shrugged. "Alright. Just be careful."

Determined, Annie headed toward the breaking waves. Finding the channel was easy now and after grabbing the wave she knew by feel just when to stop paddling. Keeping her eyes on the shoreline, she planted her feet, one at a time and slowly fought her way to standing. For a moment, she held her breath, expecting to fall. As the seconds passed and the current pushed her toward shore she could barely breathe through the euphoria. She'd actually done it.

Near the end of the wave, something shifted and without warning the board shot out from under her. Helpless, she fell backwards into the water with a hard slap that pushed the air from her lungs. With a sharp tug, the leash line snapped. Beneath the water, Annie had a moment of panic. Despite being a decent swimmer, she still wasn't used to the difference between chlorinated, still water of their pool and the fast, salty currents of the ocean. Even with the moon, she couldn't see any light to orient herself and she clawed at the blackness. Mercifully, her hand broke the surface and she fought for the air.

"Annie!" Liam cried and she briefly glimpsed him swimming toward her before another wave crashed over her head, pushing her back under. This time, however, she fought against the panic and immediately reached for the surface. Coughing and sputtering, she was still wiping water from her eyes when he got to her. A strong arm wrapped around her and pulled her flush against a very solid chest. He brushed the hair off her face and when she opened her eyes, she blinked in surprise at how close he was. Worry furrowed his brow and his blue eyes were stormy. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, nodding even as she coughed. The water wasn't actually that deep and she discovered that Liam was standing on the sandy bottom. Her pulse still raced and the edges of panic she'd experienced lingered, but they quickly faded in his tight embrace. "Really, I'm okay. I was just…surprised."

"I told you not to take that wave," he admonished, fear pushing him to anger as he glared at the churning waves.

"I know," she replied, taking his face in both hands and forcing his agitated gaze away from the ocean and back to her. "I'll listen next time. I swear. But did you see that?"

Almost grudgingly, he allowed a hint of a smile. "You stood up."

"And it was amazing," she declared, the giddy euphoria returning now that her brush with drowning had passed. Impulsively, she hugged him. "You were right. That is the best rush."

"The best legal rush," he joked, hugging her back. "You looked like a pro. Just, next time, try not to kill yourself for a finale, okay?"

"I'll see what I can do," she laughed.

Liam found the errant board for her and brought it back to the shore before returning to the water to catch a few waves himself. Wrapped tightly in an oversized beach towel, Annie watched him out on the water. The boy knew what he was doing, even in the middle of the night, making her wonder just how often he practiced. The idea that he went out alone worried her. Despite being a competent swimmer if she'd been by herself just now, the result of her little mishap could have been a lot worse. Of course, she smiled, the danger was probably just part of the rush for Liam.

Maybe he'd taught Naomi, she thought, the smile fading as her friend crossed her mind for the first time since that afternoon. Maybe Naomi met him at night just like this and he'd given her private lessons. The idea made her mildly nauseous until she realized just how stupid she was being. Liam and Naomi had done plenty of things in the middle of the night, but she doubted water sports were among them. Besides, she rationalized, even if he was hers to be jealous over, nothing would change the fact that he had a past. With one of her best, albeit most inconsistent, friends no less.

Silver's assessment of Naomi had been unexpected and she dwelled on it now. To her regret, Naomi's feelings had barely factored when she considered all the reasons she shouldn't be with Liam. Now that the personal ones she'd latched onto were buckling under the weight of her own desires, the girl code of loyalty shifted into focus. Annie knew Silver was right, that Naomi would never forgive her if anything happened between her and Liam. Regardless of whether or not she wanted him back, Annie would be forced to choose between the two.

On the water, Liam paddled back out as a series of huge waves began cresting. He caught one and even to her amateur eyes it was beautiful. As she watched him ride it out, the unfairness of the situation overwhelmed her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't fathom Naomi struggling over this internal debate. She'd do anything for a friend so long as it coincided with her own agenda. Occasionally, she would even do something selfless like taking the drug rap for Adrianna last year, but those incidents were few and far between. As much as Annie valued Naomi's friendship, Silver was right. When Naomi really wanted something, nothing and nobody would stand in her way.

Most frustrating of all, however, was the fact that none of this even mattered. She wasn't going to be with Liam, so the whole debate was pointless.

"Did you see that?" he called excitedly, lifting the surfboard out of the water with an ease she envied. "That was awesome."

Annie nodded, doing her best to push her annoying thoughts aside and smiled enthusiastically. "You make it look so easy."

"That's cause it is," he winked. She rolled her eyes, then shrieked as he deliberately shook water from his dripping wet hair all over her.

"Hey!"

"Shhh," he admonished, pretending to be stern as he gestured toward the house. Mopping his face, he draped the towel loosely over his shoulders and sat close beside her on the rock. Very close. "You're gonna get us busted."

"Me! Whatever," she replied, her attempt at annoyance dissolved into giggles as she groped for his towel. "Give me that."

"What are you doing? Use your own towel."

"No way," she argued, blotting the water from her face before he snatched it back from her. "Mine is all nice and warm and dry."

"It won't be after I throw you back in the ocean."

Annie froze, her fingers still clutching the plush terry cloth. "You wouldn't."

Lifting an eyebrow, he smirked and Annie leapt from the rock, leaving the towel behind. Liam caught her quickly, throwing her over his shoulder, despite her half-hearted cries of protest. Futilely, she pounded on his back as he waded into the surf. When it reached his waist, he shifted his hold to cradle her in his arms. "Now, what were you saying?"

"Liam, I swear…," she threatened, her pulse pounding as she clung to his bare shoulders and eyed the churning waters.

"What?" he asked, pretending for a second he was going to let her fall. With an abrupt scream, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and stared defiantly into his icy blue eyes.

"You try it and I'm taking you with me," she promised, locking her grip.

"Wanna bet?" he challenged, walking them deeper. The waves now lapped against his lower abdomen, soaking her bikini bottom in the process. Without warning, he tickled her ribs and she leapt out of his arms on her own on reflex.

With a solid splash she landed in the water. Sputtering to the surface, she pushed tangled strands of hair out of her face as she shot him a dirty look. "You are so dead."

"Ha!" he scoffed, wading deeper into the water with her. "That's payback for pulling me into the fountain."

"So that's what this is about. And here I thought we were friends," Annie tsked, purposely moving so Liam had to turn his back to the waves to look at her. "But really all this time you were just plotting revenge."

"It's true," he sighed and shrugged.

"Man, that sucks," she played along, eyeing a huge swell moving swiftly toward them. Shaking her head, she offered him her best perplexed look. "I wonder what you're gonna do to get back at me for this?"

"For what?"

"This," she cried and leapt at him, wrapping her arms around his neck just as the swell crested. The combined momentum knocked him completely off balance and they both went under in a tangle of limbs. This time it was Liam's turn to sputter as they both resurfaced.

"You are in so much trouble."

"Tell me something I don't know," she taunted, swimming out of his way when he reached for her. They played cat and mouse for awhile in the surf, trading roles as the waves grew stronger and the tide crept further up the beach. When Liam finally caught her and was able to drag her out, the water had nearly reached the towels they'd left lying in the sand. Out of the water, Annie soon began to shiver as the rush of their games faded.

"We need to do this during the day next time," she said through chattering teeth as she wrapped her towel tightly around her shoulders.

Liam laughed. "We'd have to both be ungrounded."

"At the same," she agreed.

"And what are the odds of that?" he asked with a smirk, punctuating his sarcasm by throwing his own towel over her shoulders and pulling it tight. He rubbed her arms a few times to get the blood circulating again. Annie looked up and caught his eye, the connection instantly changing the vibe between them. As his hands slowed and lingered around her, déjà vu overwhelmed the playfulness of the water fight. At the fountain, she'd felt how close they'd been to crossing a line and she'd had the strength to stop it. Now, the line had been crossed and despite being clearer on her feelings for him than ever, she also knew he was clear on his.

Biting her lip, she backed away, disappointed at how willingly he let her go, despite herself. A little awkwardly with the towels wrapped so tightly around her, she climbed onto the rock. Once again, her pulse was racing and she needed something to distract her from the way her skin seemed to burn in every place he'd touched her. All night, she'd been waiting for an opportunity to tell him of the plan she concocted with Silver, but after dancing around the subject for so long she hadn't known how to broach it. Heedless, now and a little desperate, she plunged ahead. "Speaking of our mutual groundings…how's the trial going?"

Clearly taken aback, Liam took a moment to respond and Annie was afraid he'd flat out refuse. Crossing his arms, he sat next to her on the rock, providing her with a small measure of relief. "It is what it is."

"What does that mean?" she wondered with a laugh that quickly faded as it became clear he had no intention of answering. She bit her lip, staring out at the ocean and considered abandoning the whole conversation. Despite her excitement that afternoon, she suspected Liam wouldn't be as impressed. Determined though, she pressed on. "You know, Silver came over earlier today and she had an idea to solve your problem."

"Which one?" he snorted.

"The Jasper problem," she replied, watching his reaction carefully. "The whole lack of evidence problem."

"You told her about that?" he demanded sharply.

Now it was her turn to feel blindsided. Stung, she frowned. "Yeah, I didn't know it was a secret."

"It-It's not a secret," Liam fought for the words and pushed off the rock, taking a few steps through the sand. "I just…I didn't think about you telling anybody."

"I didn't tell _anybody_, I told Silver who is your friend," she pointed out, standing as well with the towels still wrapped around her. "And you should be glad I did because she totally saw the most obvious solution."

"What's that?"

"Get Jasper to confess. If he admits to what he did, the evidence part really doesn't matter," she explained, praying that he'd see the brilliance in the idea.

"You think it's gonna be that easy?" he asked incredulously, clearly unimpressed. Disappointment dropped like a rock to her stomach. "Just get a confession and it all goes away? Damn, why didn't I think of that?"

"I didn't say it would be easy," Annie said defensively, feeling her face flush at his sarcasm. "But I can do it. I can get Jasper to talk to me and if I play it right, I know he'll admit what he did."

"Wait, _you're _going to get Jasper to confess?" he demanded, quickly closing the distance between them with his longs strides and towering over her. Anger and disbelief rolled off him in waves. "Are you insane? Have you forgotten what he did to you? What he tried to make you do?"

"Hardly," she promised, her stomach rolling at the memory. "But I'm not afraid of him."

"Annie, why can't you let this go?" he pleaded with her, more desperate than angry.

"Let it go?" she repeated in dismay, unable to fathom why he wouldn't fight harder. "You want me to let it go. I remember that meeting with your lawyer. Vividly. You're completely screwed and you're not doing anything about it. Unless, I'm wrong. Do you have a plan I don't know about?"

"No," he admitted after a brief pause and walked away.

"Then why won't you let me help you?" she demanded, frustrated and confused. She crossed the sand to where he stood, once again staring at the ocean. His jaw was clenched so tight she worried it might shatter. Even in the moonlight she could read the turmoil in his blue eyes. "I can fix this. I know I can."

"It's a waste of time," he muttered.

"How could making sure you stay in Beverly Hills be a waste of time?"

"Because maybe I don't want to stay!" he finally exploded.

The silence rang in her ears as she stared, dumbfounded. Whatever reasons he had for avoiding the subject of the trial, this had never crossed her mind. "Wh-what are you talking about? You hated the idea of leaving. You were practically glad you got arrested because it kept you here."

"No, not because I was here, because it pissed off my step dad," Liam clarified, returning to the rock and grabbing his t-shirt. Shaking off the sand, he refused to look at her. "I…hate it here. I never wanted to come in the first place."

"But you have friends here," she tried, grasping at whatever argument came to mind. Desperately, she wanted to deny what he was saying, but it made a sickening kind of sense, despite whatever he'd said to the contrary. Ever since the first night he'd visited her a fatalistic cloud had been hanging over his head. Convincing him to let her talk to his attorney had been almost as hard as the meeting itself. Maybe he'd always felt this way and was only trying to spare her feelings.

"I had friends in New York," he shrugged. "I'll get over it."

"What about school?" she asked, unable to give up. "You're going to be a senior next year."

"Thanks, but I think I can live without being stuck in a never ending episode of The Hills," he said derisively. "I've had enough drama in the past year to last me a lifetime, and I'm sick of it. I'm sick of fighting with my step dad and watching my mom bend over backwards for the jerk. I'm sick of trying so fucking hard to stay out of trouble and be someone I'm not. It's pointless."

"You know, that's funny because… I don't even recognize you right now," she said, her voice colored with tears that ruined her scorn.

"Maybe that's because I never let you see the real me," he replied, his voice dead and his eyes cold as he shrugged into his shirt. Like at the courthouse, he'd managed to slip on his mask of detachment so fast it left her adrift. She felt like she was drowning and this time he wouldn't be there to save her. "I tried to tell you, Annie. I'm not a good guy and I'm not a project for you to fix. So don't. Just forget about your little plan and stay the hell away from Jasper before you do something really stupid."

Twin tears slid down Annie's cheeks. Only minutes ago, she'd been the happiest she could remember being and now she could barely breathe through the vice around her heart and the pit in her stomach. Through wet lashes she watched Liam pick up his surfboard and start back toward the path leading to the house. Feeling raw and exposed, she asked one final desperate question. "What about me?"

Near the rock outcropping now, he froze his back rigid and shoulders tight. Annie waited as the sounds of the night intensified, nearly drowning out his reply. Offering only his profile, he turned and spoke quietly but every word cut. "Like I said. I'm tired of the drama."

Annie closed her eyes and fought against the tears as disappeared he over the rocks. An aching emptiness was already forming in her chest as her brain grappled with how quickly things had spiraled out of control. Numb, she returned to the rock and crawled onto the warm surface, wrapping her arms around her knees. For long minutes she stared at the ocean, seeing nothing at all. Eventually her shell-shocked gaze landed on the abandoned surfboard lying next to the rock, proof that the events of the night had indeed happened. Emotion finally overwhelmed her; she buried her face in her hands and cried.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The heat wave sweeping southern California continued to build momentum, sending throngs of people to the beaches seeking respite in the relatively cool ocean waters. As the temperature increased, so did Liam's cabin fever. Since the fight with Annie, he'd followed the stipulations of his punishment to the letter. His keys were on the floor in the corner of his room right where he'd thrown them when he got home that night, buried now beneath a pile of clothes. His surfboard was gathering dust in the boat house. The only remotely constructive thing he'd done in the past 48 hours was change the oil in his car and even that he'd done out of habit, rather than desire. Really, he had no desire to do anything save stare at the ceiling in his room mentally contemplating all the ways he hated himself for what he'd done to Annie. Despite still being positive he'd done the right thing, the best thing, for her, he couldn't get the heartbroken and anguished echo of her voice out of his head.

The memory haunted him relentlessly, until he couldn't wallow in it any longer and he too sought the freedom of the surf. Finally heedless of being grounded, he grabbed his board and escaped. His plan, however, had a flaw. Namely the crowds of people crammed onto the beach like sardines, staking claim to every inch of available sand. That wouldn't have bothered him if the congestion hadn't also infected the waters. Surfers openly fought over each wave, their unwritten code of conduct evaporating in the intense heat. Because he was itching for a fight, Liam stayed out of the water choosing instead to bake in the sun from his car as he scowled at the horizon.

"Well, damn," a familiar voice he hadn't heard in weeks grumbled. "There goes that idea."

Liam's face cleared and he almost smiled. "Teddy. Hey, man," he greeted his friend who apparently had the same thought to beat the heat. "Tennis courts get to hot for you?"

"Ah, you know. All work and no play," he grinned lazily. "What about you, I thought you were under house arrest or something?"

Liam tensed. "Who told you that?"

"Silver," Teddy replied and then held up his hand as the scowl returned to Liam's face. "And before you get all pissed, she only told me because I mentioned that I hadn't heard from you in awhile. So, what's the deal? You sportin' some ankle monitor or SCRAM bracelet? "

Laughing in spite of himself, Liam shook his head and leaned back against the hood of his car. "Yeah, me and Lindsay Lohan. No, my step dad confiscated my keys. Technically, I'm grounded but if I'm getting shipped off to juvie until I turn 21...what's the point, right?"

"Wait, the trial's over?" Teddy frowned, all humor fading. "Silver didn't say anything about juvie."

"No, it's…complicated," Liam sighed, the weight of everything he faced overwhelming. Despite everything, his first instinct compelled him to talk to Annie, but he'd done a pretty thorough job of making that impossible. God, he missed her.

"I'm a smart guy, I think I can keep up."

"Don't say I didn't warn you. It's a whole lot of drama, man."

"Yeah, but it's something other than tennis, which I have sworn off of for the day," Teddy promised. "I mean, I'm not gonna go all Dr. Phil on you, but if there's something you need to talk about…feel free."

Liam took a deep breath. Maybe telling someone else would silence the memory of Annie's tears. "I'm assuming Silver told you about the fire on the boat?"

"Yeah, she said Jasper Herman did it because you were hanging out with Annie?"

"I didn't really give him a chance to explain, but yeah. That's the assumption," Liam allowed and filled him in on the assault charges and the lack of evidence to support his claims. Admitting it himself, out loud brought the reality of his situation into even sharper focus. "I'm just completely screwed. I mean, I've been in trouble before, but I've always found a way out of it. This time…There's nothing I can do."

"Silver said Annie had a plan."

Liam scoffed, his temper spiking just thinking about it. "Yeah, she did. A stupid one that put her right back in Jasper's orbit. But I'm pretty sure I killed any desire she had to go through with it."

"What'd you do?" he queried. Liam said nothing, unsure where to even begin.

"Lied to her," he finally admitted, hearing Annie's broken and confused voice in surround sound this time. He felt sick. Allowing her to believe he regretted the kiss was one thing. Actually lying to her about everything she thought she knew about him hit a new low. A year ago he'd sworn he was done with the games, but ever since the fire he'd been hiding behind an entire web of lies. Only now, when it was too late, was he starting to realize why. "You ever lie to someone for their own good? To protect them?"

Teddy grinned, but there was no humor in it. "I have some experience with the concept."

"I told Annie I didn't want to stay in Beverly Hills. That I hated everything about it, including her," he confessed, the admission taking the wind out of him. The rest came out in a rush. "She wanted to confront Jasper herself and get him to admit what he did. I…I can't let her do that. Not after what the guy did to her and especially not for me."

"So you lied to her," Teddy supplied. "For her own good."

"Yes," he agreed, momentarily relieved that he understood until he saw the reproach in his friend's eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Did you spend any time wondering how Annie might feel about that?" he demanded.

"Well, yeah," Liam shrugged. "I'm hoping she's so pissed at me she quits trying to help."

"No, I don't mean that. Although, you're probably right. If I were Annie I'd let you twist," Teddy smirked. "No, how would you feel if she did that to you? Took you out of the equation and decided what was best for you?"

"That's not what I'm doing," Liam insisted, on the defensive.

"Then what are you leaving out because it sounds pretty simple to me."

He sighed heavily and looked out at the water. "Look, things with Annie are…complicated."

"You have a thing for her," Teddy observed shrewdly.

"Seriously, dude," he tried to sound exasperated, but felt his face get hot - and not from the merciless sun overhead.

"Come on, man. It's written all over your face. Why is that complicated?" he laughed. Liam lifted a brow at him and Teddy grew thoughtful. "Okay, I can think of one very territorial blond complication."

"Yeah, well, Naomi's only part of it," he admitted. "Annie's got it in her head that if the charges against me go away, everything will be fine. What she doesn't know - because of course I lied to her about it - is that my step dad plans to ship me off to military school if the courts don't take care of me first. I'm a dead man walking, so what's the point? What's the point of setting up Jasper or worrying about Naomi if…if I already know it's just gonna end?"

"What do you want?" Teddy asked after a moment's silence.

Liam shrugged. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if you didn't have this ax hanging over your head, what would you do?" Teddy pressed. "Would you be with Annie?"

Contemplating what ifs was almost too painful to bear, but he indulged his friend. "Yeah. If I could have what I want…if she wanted me…I'd be with Annie."

Teddy nodded as if he'd known this all along. "Silver broke up with me right before the end of the school year. My dad got to her. Put all these ideas in her head that she'd get in my way, ruin my chances at tennis glory, whatever. So, she decided to end things because it would be easier. I wouldn't have to make any tough choices and she wouldn't feel guilty if I did screw up."

"What'd you do?"

"I called her on it and convinced her that I can do both," he rolled his eyes. "I understood why she did it, but I was still pissed that she tried to make the decision for me."

"Is this your not so subtle way of telling me I need to tell Annie the truth and let her decide?" Liam asked dryly.

"Pretty much," Teddy grinned. "I mean, so what if you're living on borrowed time. Wouldn't you rather enjoy it? Have some good memories to take with you instead of starting the misery now, when you're still here. I mean, Silver may end up being right, but at least this way we had a chance."

Liam briefly allowed himself to entertain the idea. No more hiding or second guessing every word that came out of his mouth. Touching her without hesitation, kissing her again. Hell, just making her smile without worrying he'd revealed too much of what he really felt almost had him reaching for his cell right now to call and apologize.

As usual, though, he couldn't do it. For everything he'd gain in being with her, she'd lose. When the whole school thought he'd slept with her, she bore the brunt of the abuse. Nobody threw drinks in his face or wrote on his locker. However Naomi reacted to them being together, Annie would pay. He wasn't the type of guy a girl like her needed. He'd drag her down and that was the last thing he wanted to do. She meant too much to him.

"No. No, it's better this way," he shook his head. "The damage is already done. I don't even know if Annie wants more than a friendship with me anyway."

"You're such a coward," Teddy scoffed and rose from the hood of the car, grabbing his board. "I'll do you a favor. Let's go out there and steal a couple waves from the tourists. If I make it in first, you tell Annie the truth. All of it."

"And if I win?" Liam wondered, skeptically.

Teddy shrugged and grinned. "Then I'll never bring it up again."

The sweltering summer heat wave rendered even the shade uncomfortable, so Annie and Silver took refuge in the house. Upstairs in her bedroom, Annie had curled up in the window seat, and lost herself staring at the yard outside while her friend lounged on the bed. Silver was talking, Annie could hear the sounds, but the words were indistinguishable. As usual her mind wandered to Liam. A now familiar wave of emotions washed over her as she gave her brain free reign to dwell on the fight. What had started out as absolute anguish had morphed into a mixture of sadness and anger. Every time she got a text message or her cell phone rang, she still hoped it was him, partly so she could tell him off in all the brilliantly spectacular ways she'd concocted after the fact. But it was never him and every time she got her hopes up her heart broke a little more.

"Annie, are you listening to me?"

"What? Oh, I'm sorry," she blinked and tore her gaze away from the window to focus on her friend. Silver was staring at her from the bed, lips pursed and brows raised in irritation. "Silver, I'm really sorry. Seriously. I'm here now. What were you saying?"

"Just that Naomi took an impromptu trip to Europe and I had to find out via Facebook," she scowled.

"What?" Annie gaped. How could she have daydreamed through that? "You're kidding me. When did she leave?"

"The day after the red and white party."

"That's…over a month ago," she said, trying to ignore the fact it was also the night she'd confessed to her parents. The night Liam's boat blew up and everything changed. Shaking her head, she forced her mind to focus on Silver. "Why-why didn't you tell me before?"

"Honestly? I felt guilty," Silver admitted sheepishly. "After Teddy and I got back together I was kinda…okay, very wrapped up in myself. The whole concept of keeping in touch with my best friend was foreign. When I finally realized how long it had been since I'd talked to Naomi, I figured she was just ignoring me and that I deserved it. A million texts, calls and emails later and I'm just annoyed."

"Well, she is in Europe," Annie reasoned, strangely happy to be dissecting someone else's problems for a change. "She's probably busy sightseeing."

Silver gave her a look.

"Okay, she's probably busy going to the spa and laying by the pool," she laughed. Choosing her words carefully, she swallowed. "Maybe breaking up with Liam hit her harder than you thought."

"Maybe," Silver muttered, clearly unconvinced. "Maybe it's just Naomi's world and we all live in it."

"Silver!"

"Well, seriously," she huffed, flopping back against the pillows on the bed. "If you were taking off for an impromptu tour of Europe, you'd tell me, right?"

"Uh, if I were taking off on a trip like that I'd tell everybody."

"Exactly! You would have more consideration for your friends," she pouted. Once again, Annie couldn't help giggling.

"You're being ridiculous, you know that, right?"

Silver sighed and smiled, chagrined. "Yes. I am. I just…feel guilty for getting so wrapped up in Teddy that I didn't even notice she'd left until two weeks later. She didn't tell you either, huh?"

"No, but that's not saying much considering I was cut off from everybody until a few weeks ago," Annie admitted. Taking a deep breath, she picked up her cell. "Which reminds me -."

"Of why we're here," Silver finished for her. "Right. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Yes," she replied without hesitation. The day after she and Liam had fought, she'd considered backing out. Despite her bravado, she wasn't looking forward to seeing Jasper again and Liam had certainly given her a good excuse not to. She always came back to the same conclusion, though. If she didn't close the book on that chapter of her life, if Jasper didn't pay for what he'd done because of her, she'd never be able to move on. And no matter how Liam felt about her, she couldn't let him get sent away. Not if there was something she could do to stop it.

"Shouldn't Liam be here?" Silver asked, as if reading her mind.

"No!" Annie declared more forcefully than she'd intended.

"Okay," her friend held up her hands. "Fine. But he does know what you're planning to do, right?"

"I, um…no," she lied. When Silver opened her mouth to protest, she hurriedly gave the first explanation that came to mind. "I don't want to get his hopes up again. Not after my last attempt to save him went so completely wrong. I'll tell him if…when it works."

"So, it's just you and me taking on Pyro Boy."

"Silver."

"What? I'm a little nervous," she admitted. "I know you're sure Jasper won't hurt you, but…he did blow up a boat."

"If you don't want to help, I understand," Annie promised, praying with everything she had Silver wouldn't abandon her too.

"No, I said I'd help and I meant it," she declared, climbing off the bed and joining her on the window seat. "So, what do we do first?"

Annie clutched her cell phone and bit her lip. "Text or call?"

"Hmmm. I don't know," Silver frowned. "Text, maybe? You can think about what you want to say."

"Good point. Make it seem like I'm unsure if he'd want to talk to me."

"Yeah, that's good," she encouraged.

Pressing a few buttons, Annie pulled up a blank text message. Plugging in the number she'd deleted from her phone, but couldn't seem to erase from her memory, she stared at the empty screen. After a few moments she tapped out a message. "How's this sound? 'Been grounded, just heard what happened. Are you okay? Please let me know. Worried.'"

"It should get him intrigued if nothing else," Silver shrugged. Annie hesitated, her thumb hovering over the send button. If everything went well, the text would open the floodgates and there'd be no going back. She'd have to follow through - without Liam. That thought, more than anything, scared her. The only reason she'd made it through the meeting with his attorney was because he'd been there with her the whole time. As humiliated and vulnerable as she'd been, she'd felt safe. This time, she'd be flying blind, doing a favor for someone who didn't even want it.

"Here goes nothing," she whispered, hitting the button while her courage was at its peak. Screw Liam. _She _wanted this. She wanted Jasper to pay.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

On days when Annie didn't have alcohol management sessions, she ate her lunch alone in the tiny courtyard at the heart of the rehab facility. Even on a scorching day, the high brick walls and towering palms kept the temperature relatively cool. Normally, she looked forward to it as the highlight of her long and monotonous day doing clerical work in the offices or library. As an untrained, unpaid employee there was very little else she could do. The teens there for rehab weren't just occasional partiers like herself. These kids were extreme substance abusers, so her interaction with them was kept to a minimum for her safety and theirs.

Today, however, even the peaceful solitude of the courtyard failed to brighten her mood. Since the fight with Liam, the busywork had kept her mind occupied. Now, with no appetite and nothing but her lunch to keep her mind focused, her thoughts automatically drifted to him. The night before, he'd called and instead of answering, she'd stared at the phone while it rang and urgently flashed his name. She had counted the seconds, alternately hoping for and dreading the voicemail chime. When the alert tone had finally sounded, she set the phone aside, message unheard. Sighing, she put her half eaten sandwich back in the bag and brushed breadcrumbs off her capri cut jeans. She still hadn't checked her voice mail or called Liam back and until she figured out what she wanted to hear, she'd continue to live in ignorance.

The further she got from the argument, the more confused Annie became. She'd hoped that with time the sadness would fade and she could feel good about being angry. But as she played the fight over and over in her head, her emotions continued to be as erratic as a pinball machine. One minute she was angry and humiliated, feeling like a total moron for believing that Liam had actually enjoyed hanging out with her.  
The next, hot tears blurred her vision as she vividly remembered they way he'd defended her at the lawyer's office or the way he'd so patiently and carefully taught her to surf. A part of her that was growing smaller as time passed entertained the ridiculous notion that he'd made the whole thing up. But why? Why would he lie to her? 

In what was now becoming a familiar routine, she sighed and groped blindly in her purse for her phone, wondering if this time she'd actually have the guts to listen to the message. Somehow, the small device had slipped out of the inside pocket where she kept it and soon her nose was buried in the bag searching. From the very bottom a shrill ring emanated and bluish light illuminated the outline of her planner. Perfect timing.

"Hello?" she said without checking the caller ID.

"Annie?" a familiar voice asked. She froze, Liam all but forgotten. Clutching the phone tightly, she fought a sudden wave of nausea that threatened to relieve her of what little she'd eaten.

"J-Jasper," she stammered. Skin flushing hot, than cold, a shiver ran up her spine. Common sense urged her to hang up immediately and it took effort to remember that contact with her ex had all been part of the plan. Struggling to keep her voice steady she put her very real surprise to good use. "Wow. I…I wasn't expecting to hear from you."

"You texted me," he reminded her with forced levity.

"Right. I know," she said, giving herself a mental shake. Rehearsing this conversation with Silver had been so much easier. "I guess…I guess I wasn't sure if you'd want to hear from me."

"I was…surprised," he admitted. "It's been awhile."

"Yeah, I was grounded," she replied, adding much more bitterness than she actually felt. Jasper had always enjoyed commiserating with her. "Seriously grounded. I didn't even hear about what happened until two weeks ago. Then it took me another week to work up the courage to send that text. I almost didn't, but…I just had to know you were okay."

"I'm fine," he assured her with obvious bravado. "No thanks to that loser, Court."

"T-tell me about it," she agreed, reminding herself of how irritated she was with Liam at the moment so she could make this believable. The part of the ruse she'd dreaded the most was making him out to be the villain. "I thought he was a good guy, but clearly he earned his reputation. When I found out what he did to you I just…I couldn't be around him anymore."

"I always said you were too smart for the West Bev bourgeoisie," Jasper sniffed his disdain and Annie was grateful not to be speaking to him in person. She could roll her eyes at him in peace. "You know I've…I've really missed you."

"I miss you, too," she forced the words out, praying they sounded less strained to his ears than they did to her own. Time moved slowly as the conversation continued, bit by painful bit. She brought him up to speed on her confession and the resulting sentence of community service at the clinic. Far too easily she fell back into the role of cynic and misanthrope as their rapport reverted to old patterns. Carefully, she steered the conversation away from the trial in case Jasper started to feel comfortable enough to let the truth slip. She didn't want that reveal to happen until they met in person. By the time her lunch break was over, she was thoroughly disgusted and eager to end the call.

"Listen, I have to get back to my slave labor, but…I'd really like to see you," she said, trying to sound hopeful.

"That'd be great. How about Friday night at the Pier?" he suggested, unable to mask his eagerness. Annie thought quickly. The Santa Monica Pier would be packed with people, very public. If Jasper caught on to the plan there would be far too many witnesses for him to do anything drastic – not that she believed he would, but better safe than sorry.

"That would be perfect," she replied, wondering how she'd convince her mother to unground her for the evening. "I'll see you then."

"Bye, Annie," he said and then with a soft click, he was gone. Relief flooded through her immediately and her shoulders slumped. Stowing the phone back in her bag, she flexed aching fingers that had clung to the phone in a death grip for the entire conversation. For a moment, she sat in stunned silence. The plan was working. An uncontrollable smile lit her features as her mood brightened considerably. She might actually be able to save Liam – and herself in the process – whether he liked it or not.

In a parking lot tucked away in a residential neighborhood of Brentwood, Liam waited for Annie beneath the paltry shade of clump of palm trees. Across the street, the rehab facility in which she was serving her community service looked more like a small private school than a clinic for teenage drug addicts. The sturdy red brick building was surrounded by a matching six foot wall. While the architect had spared the razor wire, only slightly less conspicuous electric fencing extended three feet higher than the brick. Wrought iron gates kept passerby out and inmate in while providing a glimpse of meticulously manicured landscaping. More wrought iron barred every visible window. The only way in or out was by use of a card reader at the front gate. Even then, a small guard station just out of sight behind the wall monitored those trusted to come and go as they pleased.

Leaning against the hood of his car, Liam cursed the heat wave raging through Southern California and tried to make the most of the shade. Whatever happened to sunny and seventy degrees, he thought darkly as he stared at the entrance and tried to ignore the knots of anxiety in his stomach. Once again, he'd broken the rules, barely waiting for his mom to leave before sneaking out of the house. With his conversation with Teddy playing over and over in his head, he'd made up his mind to tell Annie the truth. Last night, he'd called her, but much to his non-surprise she hadn't answered. So, he had to settle for Plan B: forcing a confrontation. He took it as a sign that luck was with him when the only parking spot in the lot had been right next to her car. Provided he didn't freaking melt first.

As he waited, he tried to plan his apology, wanting it to be perfect, but he knew he was facing an uphill battle. Admitting the lie was all well and good, but he'd still lied. All but ruining the easy honesty that had developed so naturally between them. Coming clean didn't mean Annie had to forgive him, nor did telling her how he really felt guarantee she'd feel the same no matter how badly he wanted it.

And he _did _want it. He wanted her. Talking to Teddy had forced him to face just how hard he'd fallen for Annie. Despite all his stupid plans to keep her at arms length, she'd snuck in and he didn't want to let her go. Even if it meant they'd only be together for the rest of the summer. Even if they both had their hearts broken in the process.

A rare breeze blew down the street and Liam closed his eyes, savoring the miniscule relief from the heat. When he opened them again, the iron gate was ajar and Annie was leaving the facility, her attention focused solely on the contents of her purse as she dug for her keys. Anxiety flared and rolled through him like a wave as he silently watched her approach. No more planning, he was out of time.

After a cursory glance for traffic, she started across. In the middle of the street, she noticed him. Their eyes met and she froze, her hand still in her purse. Liam held her gaze, his heart pounding, and tried to discern whatever was written there. They might have stayed like that all day if a car hadn't turned onto the street and honked its horn, shaking Annie from paralysis. Briefly, he thought she might turn around and he'd have to find some way to follow her into the clinic, but then she lifted her chin and purposefully finished the cross. The closer she came, the easier it was to read her emotions.

She was pissed.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped, clearly not suffering the same loss for words he'd been struggling with. Barely looking at him, she jabbed her key fob and the locks popped on the Vue.

Half formed apologies fell apart as his brain revolted in protest at being thrown into this moment too soon. He fumbled with an answer as he leveraged off the hood of the GTO. "I-I need to talk to you."

"A smart person would have gotten the hint that I'm not interested when I didn't return your call last night," Annie quipped, wrenching the door open and sliding into the driver's seat. Liam caught the door before she could close it and rested a forearm over the frame.

"Yeah, well I think we can both agree that smart is one thing I'm not," he said, falling easily into the sarcasm with a raised eyebrow. Bantering he could do. It put off telling the truth.

Still gripping the handle, she huffed and stared through the windshield. Stifling heat sluggishly escaped from the car and he wondered how she could stand it as she refused to look at him. "You said all you needed to the other night. I get it, okay? I don't need a refresher."

Liam scoffed and shook his head. The other night he'd felt so utterly transparent that deep down he'd held on to the belief that maybe she had seen right through him. Clearly, she hadn't. "No, Annie, you don't get it at all."

"Okay, so explain it to me," she demanded, jumping from the seat and slamming the door shut so fast his fingers almost got caught. She shoved a finger at his chest. "Explain to me what I didn't understand about you hating it here and being sick of the drama and sick of me. Tell me just exactly what I don't 'get' about that." 

"Annie…," he bit back a frustrated curse, catching her hand and refusing to let go when she tugged. God, it was hot. They were going to end up screaming at each other because of the heat alone. With a sigh, he released her . "Can we just…go somewhere else and talk? Please?"

"No."

"No?"

"No. My mom is still monitoring the mileage on my car and she knows exactly when I finish my shifts and how long it takes me to drive home," she explained. "So, you've got five minutes to tell me what you want and then I'm gone."

"Five minutes?" he repeated with a snort of disbelief. Not that he deserved any favors, but putting a time limit on what was sure to be one of the most important conversations he'd ever have didn't do much for his chances of success. Well, screw it then, he'd give her the Cliff's Notes version. "I'll do better than that. How about five seconds?"

"Fine," she tilted her chin defiantly and folded her arms.

"Fine," he repeated, smiling grimly. Bracing both hands on the roof of the Vue, he trapped her between his body and the car. Her eyes flitted from one arm to the other and they were close enough that she had to crane her neck to look him in the eye, but she held her ground. He spoke carefully. "I lied. I'm sorry. And the only thing I regret about that kiss is that it ended."

Even outside on a public street, the stunned silence was so thunderous Liam could have heard the unseen guard across the street if he so much as sneezed. Much to his satisfaction, Annie could do little more than stare dumbly as her jaw dropped. Evidently, he'd shocked all that anger right out of her. Finally, she stammered. "W-what?"

Another breeze lifted the hair on the back of his neck and as suddenly as it had flared, his anger faded. He closed his eyes briefly and looked away, strangely relieved that the truth was finally out there even if the confession had been anything but what he'd imagined. "Everything I said the other night, from the moment you brought up the trial, was a lie and I am so incredibly sorry. I don't hate Beverly Hills. But even if I did, it wouldn't matter because…I don't want to leave you."

"Then why did you say it?" she demanded, but her voice was small. Tears began to pool against her lashes and he hated himself for putting them there. "Why did you pick out the one thing that would hurt me the most and…Why did you lie?"

"Because I'm an ass," he said, with total sincerity. The breeze made her hair dance and he trapped a lock, wrapping it around his finger. This part was easier if he couldn't see the pain in her eyes and he stared as if mesmerized at the sun glinting off the auburn strands. "And because it's hopeless. I'm not just being fatalistic. You said it, I'm screwed. See, if the courts don't send me away, if by some miracle I beat the assault charges, my step dad is shipping me to military school as far from him as possible. I'm gone, either way. That's why I lied. That's why I don't want you going after Jasper. It's not…I'm not worth it, Annie."

"Don't say that," she begged in a whisper.

"It's true," he insisted gently, able to look at her now. She'd dropped her gaze and a tear trailed down her cheek. For the first time in weeks he touched her without second guessing. Cupping her jaw, he lingered over the delicate softness of her skin before brushing the tear away with his thumb.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, and her lips tickled his palm. Lifting wet lashes, she looked at him with wounded eyes that cut him so deep he couldn't breathe.

"I don't know," he admitted, his heart pounding against his ribs even though being honest with her was suddenly easy again. "I should have told you that first night, but you were so happy to see me and I…I was happy, too. You made me forget that no matter what I did or how I felt, I'd have to say goodbye.

"But then I kissed you. And everything changed," he dropped his hand and pushed away. The parking spaces were close and he had very little room to pace, but he did it anyway. "I kissed you and I started the lies and let you believe I regretted it when I would do the same damn thing if I had to do it again."

"You would?"

He stopped, a few feet away from her. The corner of his mouth curved just enough to hint at a smile and he looked at her over his shoulder. Something that looked a lot like hope flickered in her eyes, but he ignored it, focusing instead on the lips he couldn't get out of his mind. He wanted to know if they tasted the same. "Oh yeah. I would."

"Why?"

God, she was going to make him say it. He almost laughed. Well, she deserved the whole truth. He'd broken his grounding, driven all the way over here and nearly melted under the scorching sun to give her exactly that, so why cling to pride now? Taking a few steps closer, he forced himself to look her in the eye. "Because I've been daydreaming about those lips since you pulled me into that stupid fountain. I can't stop thinking about you. I don't even want to try. I just…I want you, Annie."

There. Finally, he'd confessed everything. The anxiety, however, didn't fade. The ordeal was only half finished. Whatever the truth had made Annie feel, he couldn't discern it from her guarded expression. If she really considered getting involved with him as a complication they didn't need, she could still break his heart. Suddenly, it seemed like a very distinct possibility.

Of their own accord, his feet started backtracking toward the GTO. Swallowing, he shoved his hands in his pockets, whatever burst of courage had possessed him to confront her like this fading fast. "I think my five minutes are up."

"Liam, wait!" she caught up with him at the front of the car. Before he could respond with a single syllable, she stood on her toes and pulled him into a kiss. Shocked, he merely stood there, rooted to the spot.. Then the relief he'd been craving washed over him as their lips moved together. All he knew was the release of the vice gripping his heart and the sweet taste of her mouth on his. The part of him that still resisted couldn't believe what was happening and screamed at him to stop. Obviously, he needed to explain again what a lost cause he was, how hopeless they were because if Annie really understood she'd never be kissing him now. Then she slipped a hand around his neck, threading her fingers through his thick hair and raking her nails over his skin. With a muffled groan, that small part of him vanished.

"What…was that?" he asked when they separated and he reveled in the ability to play with her again. His eyelids fluttered open and she was still right there, an impish smile on her slightly swollen lips. "I thought I was a complication."

"I lied, too," she admitted with a shy grin, and kissed him again. No longer willing to stand passive as she did all the work, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her body flush against his. She squealed in surprise as her feet nearly left the ground. "I like your kind of complication."

"I thought I only got five minutes," Liam teased.

"I'll give you ten," she murmured, both her hands in his hair now, pulling him back for another scorching kiss.

"How about twenty," he suggested, pressing her against the car as he planted open mouthed kisses along her jaw.

"Oh, let's call it thirty," she gasped, her hands fisting his t-shirt when his lips returned to hers.

"You know…there's got to be road construction. Somewhere," he mused, gripping her hips and lifting her easily onto the hood of his car. Now, nearly at eye level, her knees pressing lightly against his lower ribs, she smiled at him lazily while he traced her mouth. His eyelids drifted shut as he kissed her again, the sensation of her soft flesh against his addicting.

"Detours can be very confusing," she whispered, her lips brushing his as he hovered so close they were breathing the same air. "And I have a terrible sense of direction."

"And people call me a delinquent," he teased. Annie laughed and hearing it banished the rest of Liam's doubts. "I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you the truth."

Her fingers danced around the open collar of his shirt before slipping around his neck. "I didn't make it easy for you. And you're right. There are a hundred reasons why we shouldn't do this."

Liam's eyes darkened and the smile slipped. "Annie-."

"But I don't care about any of them," she declared, her gaze defiant even as fresh tears glistened in her eyes. Kissing him quickly, she buried her face in his shoulder, tight against him despite the heat. "I want to be with you. Even if I'm going to lose you anyway."

Closing his eyes, Liam wished desperately for a miracle, some way he could convince his step dad to let him stay. At that moment he would have made any deal with the bastard to be able to promise Annie he'd never leave her. The best he could offer, however, was a distraction. Kissing her shoulder, he worked his way over the bare skin of her neck and jaw before capturing her mouth once more. She melted into him, giving him everything and holding nothing back. Beneath the lush fullness of her lips and the wicked heat of her tongue, he tasted the edge of desperation. His fingers clenched at her hip, bunching the flowing fabric of her shirt in his hand. Forget her curfew, he'd make her forget that despair if it took all night.

Too wrapped up in each other to notice, a hulking, black Eldorado turned onto the quiet street without fanfare. The roar of the engine as it proceeded slowly down the block, did nothing to drown out the rush of blood echoing in Liam's ears. Even when the car slowed to a stop directly in front of them, he remained oblivious. Only seconds later, when the car sped around the corner, tires screaming in protest, did the noise register.

But he didn't even open his eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Annie hummed as she filled a saucepan with water and set it on the rapidly heating stove burner. After adding some salt, she covered it and began digging through cupboards for the pasta. Cooking wasn't exactly something she excelled at, but she had managed to master boiling water. From there adding pasta and heating up Prego wasn't rocket science. The grocery store carried premade garlic bread that only needed to be warmed in the oven. Add that to the cooking shows she'd been watching in the past couple weeks to wean herself off TruTv and she figured she could dress up spaghetti into something more impressive.

If she managed to focus on something other than Liam long enough to put the food on the table.

An uncontrollable and brilliant smile lit her features and she felt her cheeks turning red even though no one was around to tease. The day before had easily been the best she'd had in over a year, maybe even the best since the move to Beverly Hills. What had started out as a five minute fight turned into an hour long make out session in the backseat of Liam's car. Her lips still felt tender and it was probably her imagination, but she swore she could still taste him.

Best of all, the house had been empty when she finally made it home. A note from Debbie was on the kitchen table, saying she'd had to run some errands and would bring home pizza. Despite her relief at not getting in trouble, Annie had actually felt a twinge of disappointment. Riding high on what had happened between her and Liam, she'd made up her mind to tell her mother the truth about why she was late. Well, the safe for parents truth. A simple 'we talked and he kissed me' rather than the 'he bent me backwards over the hood of his car and kissed me until I couldn't breathe.' Any other time, she would have cringed at the very thought of telling Debbie anything, but when it came to Liam her options were limited. As she waited for the water to boil, her smile faded. Her options weren't just limited, they were positively non-existent.

Silver, the only person Annie wanted to confide in, had already made her opinion on the matter clear. A relationship with Liam was an invitation for Naomi sized disaster and she'd have to be crazy to bring that upon herself. Annie knew this, even agreed with this, and yet here she was, practically bouncing out of her skin with the first real joy she'd felt since the hit and run and it was all due to Liam. Stupid as it may be, she desperately wanted someone to share that with.

In the end, she'd settled for surprising her mother with dinner, a two-fold gesture she hoped would give her leverage on a major request. Despite her slightly manic joy that Liam had been honest with her, and vice versa, an omnipresent cloud hung over their deepening relationship. If he really was living on borrowed time, a thought that made her fairly sick, then she wanted to spend as much of it with him as possible. Step one in making that happen was convincing her mother that she'd been grounded long enough.

Bustling somewhat awkwardly around the kitchen, she added the pasta to the now boiling water and retrieved another pan to heat the spaghetti sauce. The busy work helped focus her scattered brain enough to figure out how to broach the subject in such a way that her mother couldn't disagree she'd learned her lesson. No more drinking and driving, no more felonies, and no more lying. Nothing but honesty from here on out. Except, she allowed with a pang of guilt, when it came to telling her friends about Liam.

Time somehow passed quickly and when she heard the garage door opening to signal her mother's arrival home, the pasta was ready, the store-bought sauce improved upon and the garlic bread was warming in the oven. Setting the table for two took painfully little time compared to the chore it had been only a few months ago, but Annie wouldn't let herself dwell on the divorce. Not tonight. When Debbie walked through the door, the surprise nearly knocked her over.

"Annie? You're home early, is everything…wow," her mom stopped in the doorway, face comically blank with surprise as her daughter carried the bowl of steaming pasta to the table.

"Hi, mom," Annie beamed and on impulse gave a shell shocked Debbie a hug. "Welcome home."

"Thank you," she replied slowly, setting her purse and keys on the small table by the front door. Cautiously, she approached the table. "What's all this?"

"This," Annie said, gesturing grandly toward the table. "Is dinner."

"What happened?" her mother asked, a worried line appearing between her eyes. Annie's smile faltered and with effort she reminded herself that it had only been a little over a month since she'd confessed the hit and run to her parents. As much as it might irritate her, they had every right to assume the worst. For now.

"Mom. Nothing happened," she promised, not wanting to start the meal off with a fight. She grabbed her mother's shoulders and gently propelled her toward the chair. "It's just dinner, I swear."

"Ha. Nice try, but you're a teenager," Debbie replied as she warily took a seat, but the frown lines disappeared and Annie recognized sarcasm. "Nothing is ever 'just' anything with you."

"Can't a girl do something nice for her mother?" she asked with innocently.

"Sure," her mother nodded, watching as Annie brought the sauce and then the garlic bread to the table. "A girl can do that."

"Well, then you should say thank you and stop being so paranoid," she teased, putting a generous helping of spaghetti noodles on Debbie's plate and handing her the sauce.

Her mother pursed her lips in a fruitless effort to tamp down the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she smiled and served herself. For five whole minutes they ate in silence save for her mother's surprised acknowledgement that the food was good and that Annie could cook as often as she wanted.

"You better have a high tolerance for spaghetti," Annie laughed. "Because that's all I can make."

"I'll keep that in mind," Debbie acknowledged. "So, are you going to tell me what _else _this is about or do I have to guess? And don't pretend this is just an altruistic dinner for your hard-working mother."

"Okay, there is something else I wanted to talk to you about," she admitted. Taking a deep breath, Annie lowered her utensils and clasped her hands. Now that the moment of truth had arrived, she suddenly wasn't sure she could do it. "I…I've been grounded for over a month and I know I deserved every minute of it and I'm not trying to say I've really paid for what I did, because I'll never really…pay for what I did, but…can I not be grounded anymore? Please?"

Debbie leaned back in her chair and looked at her thoughtfully. Annie tried to squelch the nausea rolling through her in anticipation. Until now she hadn't acknowledged how badly she wanted her freedom, but after yesterday she couldn't think of anything else.

"Do you understand why you've been grounded?" her mother finally asked.

Annie blinked. Was this a trick question? "I'm assuming it has something to do with the whole drinking and driving, hit and run thing."

"At first it did," Debbie agreed.

"At first?"

"Sweetie, what upset your father and me more than the accident is that you lied to us," her mother explained. "You were in trouble and you didn't trust us to help you."

Debbie failed to mask how deeply her daughter's deception had hurt her. For a few long moments, Annie couldn't speak around the sudden lump in her throat. Whatever else happened in her life, if she ever found herself in another horrific situation where she had to make a choice, she hoped she remembered this moment. With tears burning at her eyes and in a small voice she replied "I didn't want to disappoint you. And I was so ashamed. I just wanted to make it go away."

Debbie sighed. "Annie -."

"But I know that doesn't work," she insisted, stubbornly wiping away the tears that slid down her cheeks. "I spent a year learning the hard way how that doesn't work and in the end I just disappointed you even more and lost your trust. If…if I ever get in trouble again, I know now I can't do it alone."

"And you know your father and I will love you no matter what, right?"

"Right," she promised, smiling despite the tears.

"Okay, then," her mother nodded. "I have to talk to your dad, but you can consider yourself officially ungrounded."

The magic words hung in the air, refusing to sink in as she stared in surprise. Despite all her efforts, she'd braced herself or a no or best case a maybe. She hadn't even had to ask twice. "Seriously?" Annie squealed and leapt from her chair, nearly knocking it over as she rushed to Debbie and threw her arms around her neck. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"You're welcome," she replied, returning the hug. "Just don't make me regret it, okay?"

"I promise."

"So, I'm assuming you're going out tonight, then?" Debbie inquired when Annie had calmed down and returned to her seat, digging into her food with relish now that her precarious mission was over.

Annie grinned and looked down at her plate. "I kinda thought I might…since you said yes."

"Just tell me where you're going and when you'll be back," her mother said, laying out the rules.

"Home by one?" she asked with her best hopeful smile.

"Hmmm…midnight?"

"Deal," Annie nodded, too excited now to finish her dinner. "I'll even do the dishes before I go."

"No, that's fine," Debbie waved a hand and reached for a slice of garlic bread. "The cook shouldn't have to clean up, too. Now, where are you going?"

"To see a friend," she replied, sighing contentedly.

Butterflies raced in her stomach, as Annie tried to keep her lead foot off the floor on the drive to Liam's house. The route took her through the wealthiest section of Beverly Hills, but she barely noticed the grand houses and perfectly maintained landscaping that usually held her attention. A circus parade, completely with elephants could have passed her in the other lane and she probably wouldn't have noticed. At the moment, her one track mind had a one way ticket to Liam.

Regardless of the stifling heat, she'd rolled the windows all the way down, basking in the hot breeze for the simple fact that it meant freedom. Now that her release was no longer conditional, the sky seemed bluer, the palm trees greener and even the ridiculous weather more bearable. Similarly, the anticipation of being with Liam was different, sharper somehow now that they were…She frowned. What exactly were they? Together, boyfriend and girlfriend…Amidst all the making out, they hadn't really defined their relationship and now she wracked her brain for a word that did her feelings for him justice.

"Everything," she murmured aloud, the single word whisked away by the wind whipping through the front seat of the Vue. Without even realizing it, Liam was quickly becoming everything to her. Best friend, confidant and now, maybe, boyfriend. He was the person who knew all her secrets and didn't hold any of them against her, the one she automatically called whenever something monumental occurred, good or bad. He listened when she ranted, held her when she cried, and still wanted to hang out with her when it was all over. So much had changed in just a year, thinking about it blew her mind.

And in a matter of months, it would change again. Liam would be gone.

Annie bit her lip and forced the thought back to the far recesses of her mind where it couldn't hurt her. Liam's confession hadn't changed _everything _for the better andshe'd expended a fair amount of energy stoically _not _thinking about the threat hanging over his head. And her head. She simply could not picture her senior year without him and so she refused. After everything she'd put him through for the past few months the last thing she wanted was waste her time crying on his shoulder about how awful it would be for _her _when he left.

Mercifully, her cell phone rang and Silver's name flashed across the screen. Keeping her eyes on the road, she grabbed it. "Hey! You have perfect timing. I was just about to call you."

"Oh yeah?" her friend inquired. Annie could picture her sitting up straighter in anticipation of something unexpected and interesting. "What's up?"

"Guess who's no longer grounded," she teased with a Cheshire grin.

"Shut up. Seriously?" Silver demanded, her astonishment clear even over the phone. "That's amazing. How'd you convince Debbie to let you off the hook?"

"I made her dinner and asked," Annie explained honestly, no less surprised than her friend. "I thought I'd have to beg or something, but she just made me promise to stay out of trouble and said okay."

"Wow. Parents are weird," Silver concluded after a moment's thought. "So what are you doing with your first night of freedom? I would offer to entertain you, but I have already committed myself to an evening of tennis, the ultimate spectator sport."

Annie chuckled. "It's after seven. Isn't that a little late for a match or whatever?"

"Hmm, you would think, wouldn't you," Silver sighed, but Annie saw right through her. As much as she pretended to merely tolerate tennis, she loved watching Teddy play. "They pushed back a qualifying match because of the heat. A lot of good that did, though, considering it's still eight bajillion degrees out there. I hope your plans are more fun than mine."

"I'm, um…heading over to Liam's," she explained hesitantly, not wanting to lie but a little afraid of her friend's reaction. "I figure I owe him a few surprise visits since he risked his step dad's wrath so many times to hang out with me."

Silver didn't miss a beat. "Yup, that definitely sounds more fun."

"Yeah. Listen, are you still up for tomorrow night?" she asked, changing the subject while her friend was still busy dreading tennis.

"Wouldn't miss it," she declared. "No way I'm letting you meet psycho Jasper on your own."

"Thank you," she replied sincerely. Since making the date with her ex, so much had happened she hadn't really had a chance to wrap her mind around the fact that she was about to put her plan into effect. It was strangely exhilarating albeit freaky. In truth, she wished Liam would be there too, but he'd already made his opinion on her plan very clear. That was one aspect of their fight she knew had been genuine.

"Okay, I gotta go. The match is about to start and I'm getting dirty looks," Silver muttered, lowering her voice a fraction. "Tell Liam I said hi."

Before Annie could promise to do so, she was gone. A few minutes later, Liam's house came into view. The GTO wasn't parked in its usual spot in the driveway, but that only deterred her for a second. One time when they were working on the boat in the old shed, he'd told her that before he'd started building it, he used to pull his car in there to do maintenance. She parked her car and without even stopping by the house, made her way through the side yard to the deceptively run down building. Standing on her toes, she peered through the small window and sure enough, the orange muscle car was inside.

"Liam," she called, opening the door. Blaring music drowned out her voice as she picked her way around discarded tools and pieces of scrap wood. The last time she'd been in there, the boat had taken up over half the room. Without the giant hull, the space felt empty, but the smell of sawdust and paint still permeated the air. Wistfully, she recalled its maiden and final voyage. Liam hadn't even had a chance to name her. Taking Jasper down would be so cathartic.

Finding him half under the front end of the car, she called his name again, but the music and huge bulk of the car drowned out her voice. With a shrug, she yanked the iPod from its dock, blanketing the room in instant silence.

"What the hell," Liam muttered, rolling out from under the car. Annie crouched and braced her arms on her knees.

"Hi," she grinned as annoyance morphed to surprise when he discovered the identity of his visitor.

"Hey," he replied with a smile of his own. With practiced ease, he leveraged himself to a seated position on the low mechanic's dolly. His face was dirty, his white t shirt and worn jeans covered in grease and oil smudges and she had the overwhelming urge to run her fingers through his disheveled hair. He looked adorable. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," she said, threading her fingers loosely through his to sate her need to touch him. Liam glanced down at their joined hands.

"Did you make a jail break?"

"Nope. I've been paroled early," she replied, somehow grinning even wider. "Time off for good behavior, I guess."

"Seriously?" he said in disbelief and pulled his fingers free. Tossing the socket wrench he'd been using into a large tool box, he grabbed a rag and started scrubbing at the grease on his hands. "That's awesome."

"It's better than awesome," she disagreed, taking the rag out of his hands and confidently swinging her leg over his to sit in his lap.

"Whoa, you don't want to do that," he warned, refusing to touch her.

"Why not?" she frowned, his reaction causing her to second guess her bold attitude in waltzing in there like she owned the place.

"Because I am in serious need of a shower and clothes that aren't covered in grease," he raised an eyebrow and gestured toward his stained t shirt.

"Oh. I don't care," she shrugged and very deliberately laced her small fingers back with his, settling on his lap. Liam eyed her warily. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I…nothing," he replied with a chagrined smile. Although he tightened his grip on her hands, he still wouldn't relax. "Are you sure? I'm gonna ruin your clothes."

"Liam, seriously, it's fine," she insisted, shaking her head. "What are you so worried about?"

"It's…stupid," he shook his head and laughed derisively. "Naomi would have had a fit. That's all."

"Ah," she nodded, the mention of her friend opening a sour pit in her stomach. Fighting that twinge of jealousy, she put her hands behind her back, thereby pulling him closer so she could feel the heat of his skin through the thin material of his shirt. Nose to nose, she touched his lips with hers, just long enough to taste him. Bit by bit, he relaxed. Holding his gaze, she spoke carefully. "I am not Naomi."

Tugging one hand free, Liam brushed her hair over her shoulder and touched her face, his thumb skirting her cheek, then tracing the corner of her mouth. "I know," he said, serious now as he took more than a simple taste, kissing her so deeply she felt it in her toes. The fervent pressure of his lips and the way he held her almost possessively close eradicated any hidden doubts she'd had about Liam's feelings for his ex. When he pulled back, just far enough to speak, they were both breathing heavily. "Trust me. I know."

Unable to breathe in the intensity of the moment, Annie grasped for something to break the tension. "Good. Of course, if my idea of casual dress was $300 jeans and a designer t shirt, I might not want to roll around on the floor with my grease monkey boyfriend either," she teased, then immediately winced at the implication behind her choice of words. She placed her hands on his chest and stammered. "Not that I think of you as…my boyfriend. I-I didn't mean it…like that."

"I know what you meant," he promised, gripping her hips to keep her from squirming right off his lap.

The way he looked at her, his blue eyes cutting right through her nerves and anchoring her, made her brave. Or stupid. "Well, then, since I brought the incredibly awkward subject up…what-what are we now? I-I mean I know it's only been like, less than 24 hours, but…"

"You probably don't need me to tell you I've never been good with the whole boyfriend thing," he admitted, absently caressing her jean clad thighs in a way that was making it very difficult for her to concentrate.

"R-right," she nodded. "That's-that's okay. You know labels…they're pointless, right?"

"Do you want me to be?" he asked, straight to the point. His gaze dropped to her lips. "I mean, I'm yours. I don't want to be with anybody else. And I'm sure as hell not sharing you. So, I think that's pretty much the definition of 'boyfriend,' right?"

Somehow, through the wave of nearly overwhelming happiness making it difficult to breathe, Annie marveled that Liam's best lines, the ones that made her swoon and lose the ability to speak, were the ones he didn't even think about. God help her if he actually started working that charm on her with purpose. Even though she saw right through it the first time they met, now, knowing what he was capable of when he followed through on all the innuendo, she'd be putty in his hands.

"Last time I checked," she nodded, finally putting together a coherent thought. Unable to think of anything else to say, she framed his face with her now grease smudged hands and pulled him in for another kiss. She couldn't explain why defining their relationship made her so giddy. Maybe it wasn't even the word 'boyfriend'. Maybe it was just the way he'd so simply stated 'I'm yours' that made her ache to be near him.

Then again, she mused as his fingers dug into her hips, maybe it was just the dam breaking on nearly two months of sexual tension. After denying what she felt for so long, the release of being able to act on impulse, to kiss him whenever she wanted, was like a drug. A very potent drug that made her want to continue exploring until she'd memorized every inch of his skin.

Buried beneath the bubbling passion, something darker simmered. If Annie had been in a position to pay attention to anything but the way Liam's warm and slightly calloused hands had worked their way beneath her blousy tank top to the bare skin of her back, she might have noticed it. A desperation clung to the edges of his kiss as his mouth moved languidly with hers. The same sensation had been there yesterday, mirrored in her. Somewhere deep in the back of their minds a clock ticked relentlessly toward an end neither one of them could fight. It made them bold, and rendered silent the voice in Annie's head that would have warned her against moving too fast with this boy. A boy who'd somehow become the most important person in her world and had the power to break her heart irrevocably.

"So," Liam murmured, gently nuzzling his way to along her jaw to press a kiss to the pulse point below her ear. "What do you want to do on your first night of freedom?"

Annie shivered and bit her lip to stifle a little moan of pleasure. "Anything. So long as I'm not at home and you're with me."

"Really? That gives me a lot of options. I think I can work with that," he smirked with the same cocky arrogance that used to drive her nuts. Now that it wasn't the only way he spoke to her, she had to admit it was a turn on.

"Well, no rush," she replied, running both hands through his hair and dragging her nails along his scalp. Now it was his turn to bite back a groan. With just her fingertips, she tilted his chin to kiss him softly. When she spoke their lips still touched. "I'm pretty sure I can keep myself entertained here for…hours."

"I can definitely work with that," he promised, returning the kiss with an intensity that had her melting into him. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, every nerve tingling where he touched her, a final coherent thought drifted through her lust addled brain.

Her clothes would never look the same again.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

On Friday night, just as Annie had hoped, the Santa Monica Pier was packed with people. Lit up like a carnival, tourists and locals strolled along the worn wooden planks of the iconic landmark without a care in the world. As she and Silver wove their way through the throngs, Annie envied them their peaceful night out. To the casual observer, she might have looked exactly like them, but inside her stomach was a churning mass of anxiety.

"What time are you supposed to meet Jasper?" Silver asked when they'd reached the far end of the pier. Fewer booths dotted this section of the boardwalk and the noise from the crowd was less noticeable. If she was going to get Jasper's confession on tape, Annie figured this was the place to do it.

"Around eight," she answered, digging in her purse and checking the voice recorder on her cell phone for the hundredth time.

"Okay, good," Silver nodded, her naturally luminous eyes twice as wide as she scanned the area. "What should I do? What's my job?"

"Um…stay out of sight, but keep me, us, in view," Annie forced a smile. "You know, pretend you're a spy."

"Awesome," she nodded, flashing a grin that didn't last. Fidgety, she played with an earring, then made the collection of silver bracelets on her wrist jingle like chimes. With effort she folded her arms and expelled a quick breath. "Look, Annie…are you sure you don't want to call Liam?"

"Silver! No," Annie cried, dropping her head to stare at the sky in frustration. "I don't want him involved. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"But why?" she demanded, equally exasperated. "You're doing this for him. I don't understand why you don't want the big, strapping guy who actually excels at fighting to have your back."

"That's exactly why I don't want him here," she explained. "Liam's in enough trouble. What are the odds he keeps his temper in check while I talk to the guy who burned his boat down and act like I think it's okay?"

"Annie, he knows it's all an act."

"I know, I just…," she sighed and pressed her fingers to her forehead. A stress headache of epic proportions was building and if Silver kept forcing her to concoct vague reasons as to why Liam couldn't be a part of the plan, she just might snap. "Trust me, Silver. This will go smoother if Liam's not here."

"Well, how about Teddy?" Silver pressed, her mouth tight with worry. "He won't flip out. You won't even know he's here unless something happens."

"Teddy's hanging out with Liam tonight," Annie said grimly, standing on her toes to brace her elbows on the high safety railing and stare at the water. "If he bailed, Liam would want to know why. So can we just let this drop?"

"No," Silver shook her head and leaned her shoulder against the railing, fixing Annie with a piercing gaze. "No, I don't think you're telling me everything."

"What are you talking about?" Annie tried to scoff, but she couldn't meet Silver's eye.

"That! That's what I'm talking about," she gestured toward Annie's face. "You've never given me the same answer twice about why Liam can't know about this and you won't look me in the eye. So, what gives? Why does he really need to stay away?"

"Because…because I already told him and he thinks it's stupid, doesn't want anything to do with it. We got in a huge fight over it," she confessed defensively, too emotionally exhausted after the past few days of both euphoria and dread. "If I brought it up again, I'd have to lie to him and I…I won't do that again."

If possible, Silver's eyes grew even wider. "What? But you said-"

"I know what I said," Annie sighed and turned back to the high railing. The ocean stretched out to the horizon, the hazy sun reflecting dully off the water. Even the sunsets seemed to wilt in the heat. She closed her eyes against the glare, her voice a tired whisper. "I'm sorry I lied to you, too."

The sounds of the Pier, people, games and the cry of sea gulls filled the silence that stretched between them. Annie didn't open her eyes, but she could feel Silver watching her. For a brief moment that felt like forever, she gave into the fear and doubt clawing at her from the far edges of her mind. Her heart pounded painfully against her chest and more than anything she wanted to tell Silver to call the guys. She wasn't as confidant as she liked to pretend that Jasper wouldn't hurt her.

But then she felt a hand on her arm and looked up to see her friend gazing at her with compassion. "It's okay," she promised and shrugged. "In the grand scheme of trips to Europe, it's not that big of lie. I don't get it though. Jasper has Liam totally backed into a corner. A confession could get him out of it."

"Exactly what I told him. He doesn't want me anywhere near Jasper, though. Not for him," she explained. The other girl said nothing. The atmosphere seemed to change, grow heavier. Annie glanced at her friend out of the corner of her eye. Silver's compassion was gone, replaced with a suspicion that compounded the anxiety twisting in Annie's stomach. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"What's going on between you and Liam?" she asked without a hint of amusement. "And don't tell me you're just friends."

Seriously, they really have to have this conversation now? Briefly, Annie remembered what she felt like as a little girl, getting caught playing with her mother's make up…all over the bathroom wall and floor. She felt her cheeks go crimson and her palms clammy. Instantly, her mind went into flight mode, whirling through possible responses that didn't involve telling Silver the truth. Anything to avoid the disappointed glare of someone she cared about.

"We-we're not…we're just," she stammered, but the words wouldn't come. She was so sick of the lies and even though it might be the smart move, she didn't want to hide what she felt for Liam. Not from Silver, not from anyone. Looking her friend in the eye, she lifted her chin. "We're not just friends."

"Wonderful," Silver shook her head and backed away, her jaw set in an indignant line. "So you lied to me about that, too."

"No. No, I didn't," Annie argued, emphatic as she followed her. "The last time we talked about it, I honestly didn't think Liam ever wanted to see me again. The fight we had…was intense. It was only a few days ago that…that we both finally stopped lying to ourselves about how we felt. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to have this fight until I had to."

Silver folded her arms and looked away. "I just don't understand why you'd want to go through all the drama again. You know Naomi is going to make your life hell."

"I know," Annie nodded, the question of what would happen when Naomi returned from Europe and found out always hanging around in her mind. "Believe me, I know. There are so many reasons why being with Liam is a bad idea, but…I can't help it. The harder I tried to push him away, the more I wanted to be with him."

"God, I don't want to be in the middle of this again."

"So don't be," she insisted. "Silver, you don't have to choose a side. I'm not going to ask you to and if Naomi does…well, maybe you should just remember how she took off for Europe and didn't even bother to tell her best friend."

For a long time, Silver said nothing and wouldn't meet her gaze. A dire need for understanding threatened to bring tears to Annie's eyes. The idea of being isolated from the friends she'd only just regained made her ill, but giving up Liam put her on a collision course with a panic attack. It simply wasn't an option. Not anymore.

"Silver-."

"Annie, do you remember what it was like when Naomi only thought you'd slept together?" Silver demanded, more concerned than angry. "Cause I do. I just hope whatever is between you and Liam is worth it. That it's more than just some summer fling that's gonna be over in a couple months."

A couple of months. Annie closed her eyes, her lashes growing heavy with unshed tears. "Liam won't be here in a couple of months. Even if he beats the charges, his step dad is sending him away…and he won't be coming back this time."

There seemed to be no end to the shocks Silver would grapple with that night. "Are you serious?"

"It's why he got so mad when I told him about the plan," she explained, fighting the tears pooling in her eyes. "I didn't know it at the time, but since he's screwed either way he thought it was pointless. That after what Jasper did to me, I shouldn't put myself at risk when it couldn't save him."

"Maybe he's right," Silver suggested, glancing around the Pier again. "I mean, I know you don't think Jasper will hurt you and maybe you're right, but obviously you're not sure. Otherwise, I wouldn't need to be here, right?"

"No. No, I'm going through with this," Annie vowed, her conviction overpowering the anxiety. "Not just for Liam. This is for me and Navid and Ade, and everybody else Jasper hurt. He needs to…to be stopped or he's just going to keep…infecting people. You don't have to stay. I can do this by myself."

"Uh uh. No way," Silver shook her head, not even needing to think about it. "They're my friends too, okay? We're in this together. End of discussion. End of…both discussions. At least for tonight."

After a moment, Annie nodded and smiled, relieved. Silver may be against her relationship with Liam, but at least she wasn't abandoning her now. Glancing at her phone, she checked the time. "It's almost eight."

"Fantastic," she replied dryly. She pointed toward the two permanent structures flanking the boardwalk at the end of the pier. "I'll hide behind the right one. I should be able to see you the entire time."

"Sounds good," she replied. Taking a deep breath she started toward the shore where she planned to meet Jasper.

"Annie, wait," Silver grabbed her hand. "If anything goes wrong I'm calling Liam. No arguments."

"Okay," she acquiesced after a moment's hesitation. Squeezing her friend's hand and somehow mustering a genuine smile, Annie headed down the boardwalk. With each step, the butterflies in her stomach fluttered faster, agitated by both the task at hand and the conversation with Silver she hadn't planned on having - at least not that evening. In truth, she'd been more terrified of telling Silver about her relationship with Liam than Naomi. She knew exactly how the dramatic blond would react. Silver had been the wild card and she was so grateful that this time luck had been on her side.

Near the very last wooden post of the boardwalk, Annie stopped and steeled herself to wait, muttering a sardonic encouragement. "After that, getting Jasper to confess to arson should be cake."

On another, more private beach rarely visited by tourists after the sun began to set, another party raged. The GTO, purring like a contented panther, slid gracefully to a stop along the shoulder of the coastal frontage road. Liam killed the engine and braced his arms over the top of the steering wheel. Resting his chin, he studied the scene down on the sand. Kids he knew only vaguely from school collected driftwood and threw it in a shallow pit. Despite the heat, no beach party was complete without a bonfire. Where else would they toss their empty beer cans, cigarette butts and any other evidence they assumed the flames would consume? He smirked and shook his head. If it was a good party, that is.

Climbing out of the car, he shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the closed door. Teddy would be arriving any minute. The party had been his friend's idea and Liam only agreed because Annie and Silver had plans they couldn't break. He didn't even try to guess what they were doing, but he hoped it was something good. He'd much rather have her here, making the most of whatever time he had left in Beverly Hills.

Annie hadn't mentioned his pending fate since he'd finally told her the truth, but Liam knew it was never far from her mind. Granted, they'd spent more time using their mouths for making out than talk, but he could see the hint of sadness always there behind her eyes when he looked deep enough. It was impossible not to recognize. He saw it in his own eyes every time he looked in the mirror.

He kicked at the hard packed dirt and scrub grass along the shoulder and frowned. There had to be some way to convince his step dad to change his mind. Some bargain he hadn't thought of or deal he could make. The idea of becoming an emancipated minor had crossed his mind many times since his mother married Jeffery Sarkosian, but he could never do that to her. Besides, with his record he doubted any court would grant the request. Defeated acceptance of a fate he couldn't change disappeared the moment Annie kissed him, replaced with a determination to stay right where he was, futile as it may be. He just didn't know how he was going to make it happen.

Teddy's arrival interrupted his plotting and Liam was grateful. There was only so much grasping at straws he could take before his own thoughts annoyed him. The grey Mercedes kicked up gravel and sand as it pulled smoothly into the empty space in front of him. Next to the sleek, compact convertible, his car looked like a monster - which was exactly how he liked it.

"Dude, where's your board?" Teddy cried by way of greeting as he climbed out of the car.

Liam rolled his eyes. "Are you that anxious for me to kick your ass again?"

"Whatever, man. I let you win," he scoffed, pulling the nine foot surfboard carefully out of the tiny backseat of his car, always vigilant about the upholstery. "I knew you were too scared to tell Annie you wanted her, so I let you off the hook."

"Oh, really," he replied dryly, but Teddy didn't miss the grin he couldn't seem to wipe off his face.

"You told her anyway," he said, planting the board on the ground and leaning against it. He shook his head. "Way to man up. What'd she say? Was I right?"

"She was pissed," Liam said, almost wishing he could leave it at that to wipe the smug look off his friend's face, but he felt way too good to pull off the lie. "And then…she wasn't as pissed."

"Ha! I knew it."

"Wh-what are you even talking about?" he stammered, heading to the trail leading down to shore. "You didn't _know _anything."

"I knew you were being a masochistic idiot," Teddy argued, following close behind. "And I know girls like Annie don't like guys making decisions for them."

"Nobody likes people making decisions for them."

"Right. And I knew that," Teddy shrugged. "Look, let's not argue. Just admit you owe me big time. Then we'll never have to talk about it again."

Liam stopped in the middle of the trail and turned to his friend. Opening his mouth, the words to tell him to shove it were right on the tip of his tongue, but he stopped. Teddy may not have won their bet, but he put the idea in his head to come clean. Without it, he never would have found his way out of the debilitating certainty that Annie was better off hating him. Grudgingly, he sighed. "Fine. You're right. I owe you."

Teddy grinned that too perfect All American grin and clapped Liam on the shoulder as he passed him on the trail. "There. Doesn't that feel better?"

Liam stared after him and chuckled. "Yeah, it feels great. No one knows more about being a selfish bastard than you, man."

Teddy laughed, but didn't stop, picking up momentum as the trail grew steeper and meandered closer to the sand. For a few moments, Liam stood right where he was, watching the sun's slow descent toward the horizon. The selfish bastard line wasn't a joke. His actions may prove otherwise, but Annie really would be better off without him. He believed that just as strongly as he believed that if she hadn't forgiven him for the lies, hadn't felt the same, he would have given up completely. Even though there was still school and other friends enticing him to stay in Beverly Hills, he could live without them. The thought of saying goodbye to Annie nearly ripped his heart in half.

A flash of light on the far southwestern horizon grabbed his attention. In stark contrast to the blazing sun, still baking the earth even as it sunk lower in the sky, a solid wall of dark, rolling clouds hovered menacingly. High within them, lightening flashed again.

"Wow," he mused, studying the sky for another moment before continuing toward the beach. Electrical storms, rain in general really, weren't exactly common in Southern California. As he approached the beach, Teddy was the only other one who'd noticed.

"You see that?" he gestured toward another flash. Liam nodded, hearing a very distant rumble of thunder.

"I haven't seen lightening since I left New York," he marveled.

"Kinda cool," Teddy watched the clouds several seconds more before hoisting his board once more and heading toward the water. "I'm going to catch a few waves before it's right on top of us."

"Yeah, electrocution isn't as fun as it sounds," he quipped automatically, still staring at the sky. A vague feeling of dread settled heavily in his gut. Storms didn't phase him, but something told him that the weather wasn't the only thing building. Frowning, he dug his phone out of his back pocket and dialed Annie's number. Immediately, her voicemail picked up and the sound of her bright voice made him feel like an idiot. "Hey, Annie, it's me. I know you're with Silver, um…I just wanted to…I don't know. Nevermind. Call me if you get a chance, k?"

Glancing at the sky again, the storm front seemed much further off and he shook his head, chagrined. Weather was just…weather, not a sign of impending doom. Clearly, he'd been spending far too much time cooped up at home, trying to please his parents. His brain was starting to addle.

Someone handed him a cold beer and he nodded his thanks. Cracking it open, he took a sip and moved closer to the party. A few other kids had joined Teddy out in the waves. Music began to pour from speakers he didn't immediately see and a few people who'd obviously had a head start on the alcohol started dancing. No one else was paying the slightest attention to the sky.

Over the past few months, Jasper had perfected the art of seeing without being seen. Now, he put that skill to good use, letting the crowd milling about the tourist information building as well as the shadows cast by the setting sun hide him from Annie and Silver. The two girls stood by the railing, not twenty feet away, deep in conversation. The noise of the people and the amusement park prevented him from hearing their words, but from their agitated expressions, he assumed they were fighting.

Narrowing his eyes, his expression darkened. Why did Annie waste her time with these people? None of them cared about her like he did or kept her best interest at heart. They were all selfish sycophants solely concerned with their own personal dramas and without him, Annie had let them brainwash her again.

Something changed in the discussion. The girls were closer now, and even from this distance he could see Silver was worried. Annie's hair was loose, obscuring her face as the breeze off the ocean gusted by her. When she turned back toward the other end of the Pier, Jasper ducked deeper into the shadows, his back to the blue painted wood.

Annie breezed by him, so close he could almost touch her. For a moment, he missed her so badly it hurt, but like always anger superseded the pain. The image of her in Liam's arms on the boat haunted him, but that was nothing compared to the sheer gut wrenching betrayal accompanying every flashback he had of the day at the rehab center.

Her text had made him hopeful, but suspicious, so he'd called searching for answers. By the end of their conversation he almost believed her. A nagging doubt that wouldn't be silenced spurred him to drive by the clinic. Just to see her, he'd promised, just to figure out if she'd really accepted the truth about the people she'd surrounded herself with. Bile still burned the back of his throat when he recalled the horrific image of her sitting on the edge of Liam's car, her legs wrapped around his waist and his tongue down her throat. Jasper didn't know what was worse, that she'd lied to him or that she'd picked someone like Liam – the antithesis of everything he was – as a rebound guy.

With great effort, Jasper reigned in the turbulent emotions threatening is outward calm. Annie would learn her lesson. If he couldn't convince her with words, the .9mm tucked in his waistband would definitely deliver the message.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

During the half hour that passed between Annie's arrival at the Santa Monica Pier and the eight o'clock deadline for Jasper's arrival the southwestern horizon had become an angry mass of low hanging clouds. Distant lightening, so high and far away she couldn't hear the responding thunder, flashed menacingly. Great, she thought taking a depth breath of the heavy, humid air, just what she needed. The first severe weather to hit Southern California since she'd moved there had to happen tonight. As if she wasn't already nervous enough.

Taking another deliberate breath, she clutched her purse tighter to her side and tried to focus on her meeting with Jasper. Storms meant tornados back in Kansas and Annie was terrified of them. Ever since she'd watched a giant tornado suck Dorothy and Toto into the Land of Oz, she'd had nightmares of waking one morning surrounded by winged monkeys in a field of red poppies. Even as she got older and realized the movie was just that, she couldn't shake the vivid dreams or intense anxiety those rotating clouds brought.

"Beverly Hills does not have tornados, stupid girl," she muttered, chiding herself through clenched teeth. "You have more important things to worry about."

Wanting to check the time, she dug in her purse for her phone. Jasper was three minutes late. Looking at cell, she noticed someone had left her a voicemail. "Maybe that's him," she dialed her voicemail and in an instant her mood changed dramatically.

"Hey, Annie, it's me," Liam's voice brought an instant smile to her lips as she listened to the somewhat random message. Could he be any more adorable? Her heart seemed to swell in her chest and she wanted to be with him more than anything. With any luck, they could meet up tonight. Jasper's confession would be safely stored on her phone's memory card and with her success there'd be no way Liam could be upset with her for following through on the plan. Everything could work out. Sure, there was a _chance_ things would go wrong, but wasn't there just as likely a chance they would go right? Why had she been wallowing in the negative?

Annie's thumb hovered over the keypad on her phone, debating whether to delete or save the message. As pointless as it was in words, she felt lighter, the looming storm all but forgotten, since listening to it.

"Annie!"

Startled, she nearly dropped her phone as she whirled toward the familiar voice. "Oh my god, Jasper! You scared me."

"Sorry," he laughed sheepishly, standing several feet away. The crutches were gone and the bruising around his eyes completely faded. The small part of her brain that wasn't worried about storms or entrapping her arsonist ex-boyfriend took note of that with satisfaction. If her plan failed, at least Jasper no longer had the sympathy card of two obviously broken legs and a battered face. He actually looked good – for a psychopath. "I called your name a couple times. I thought you heard me."

"Oh, I…no, I'm sorry," she shook her head, clutching her cell tightly. "I was checking my voicemail. You were a little late and I thought maybe you'd called…"

"Late?" he checked his watch. "It's like 8:05."

Annie felt her cheeks flush. "Right. I-I know. I guess I was just…nervous."

"Now why would you be nervous about seeing me?" he asked grinning in a way she used to find charming. Now she just felt unsettled. The easy going, slightly crooked smile didn't match his hard, flat eyes. Had they always been that way and she'd just never noticed? Or did he suspect what she was planning?

Setting aside what had to be paranoia, she shrugged and tried to remember the role she had to play. "I'm not sure. Maybe because after everything that happened I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?" he asked, moving closer. Annie locked her knees to keep from backing away.

"That we wouldn't know how to talk to each other anymore, I guess," she tried to smile, hoped it reached her eyes.

"I think we're doing okay," Jasper assured her, stepping close enough so that she could smell his cologne. It was the same one he'd worn when they were dating.

Forcing herself to relax and smile brighter, she tried to remember that Jasper. The one who'd been her refuge when the rest of West Beverly had turned on her. Sure, it had all been a lie, but in the moment it had felt real. Real enough, anyway, to carry her through the next hour or so of her life.

"Yeah, we are," she nodded, loosening her death grip on her cell phone. "You want to head down toward the end of the Pier?"

"I thought we could check out the beach."

The smile froze. "Oh. I-I was thinking we could watch the sunset," she stuttered, thinking of Silver waiting patiently to act as her back up. "I've been grounded for the past month, I haven't seen a good sunset on the ocean all summer."

"You'll be able to see it from the beach," he shrugged. Almost confidentially, he added. "We'll actually be able to talk away from all these people. That's what you wanted, right?"

He manipulated her so easily, she was embarrassed. Had he always done that? Nevermind. All that mattered now was getting the confession she needed on tape and then she and Silver could get the hell out of Santa Monica and find Teddy and Liam. She didn't need to be at the end of the pier to do it. And Jasper was right. The beach would be quieter. Fighting to keep the smile plastered to her face, she managed a shallow breath. "Of course. That makes-makes sense. Let's go to the beach."

"After you," he replied with a mock bow, gesturing down the boardwalk to the cement stairway dug out of the high embankment. Annie's heart kicked in her chest, pounding faster with each beat as she put one foot in front of the other and eventually made her way there. With Jasper's eyes on her every step of the way, she had no chance to search for Silver, to give her some clue. Of course, as even more people arrived to enjoy the Pier, finding one person amidst the throng would have been impossible anyway.

The descent took forever and when her low heeled sandals finally sunk into the sand, she said a little prayer that Silver had seen them and wouldn't call Liam. The reassuring weight of her cell phone still clutched in her hand grounded her. Her memory card allowed for a fifteen minute recording, so she had to wait for the right moment to activate it. Really, everything was going according to plan, save for one minor detail. Her wide brown eyes darted around the beach. Plenty of people milled about in the tide as it washed ashore. It was just as safe as the Pier. Just as public.

"You know, you were right about one thing. It's definitely quieter down here," Annie said to start up the conversation, hoping she didn't sound too eager.

"Yeah, I thought it would be," he agreed, surveying the landscape. Putting a few feet between them he meandered with is hands in his pockets. Annie took the opportunity to scan the Pier, desperately searching for Silver. Of course, she couldn't find her. From this distance people were just faceless bodies. She looked back in time to catch Jasper's eye as he glanced over his shoulder and grinned. "Nobody will bother us down here. As close to alone as you can get in public."

"Perfect," she returned automatically. A shiver danced down her spine at the disconcerting way he rendered all her fail safes useless. Almost like he knew what she was planning. Hiding her cell between her palm and the straps of her purse she clung to like an anchor, she ran a few steps to catch up with him. Stick to the plan, she reminded herself, and it would all be over. She'd never have to talk to him again.

Ten minutes past eight, Silver gave up her post at the end of the pier. At first she was just annoyed at Annie for not sticking to the plan and she shouldered her way through the crowd carefully, trying to stay as far away from the main thoroughfare as possible. If Jasper had just been late and they were making their way to the end, she didn't want to ruin everything by running into them.

The closer she got to the shore, however, the more her frustration melted under a mounting sense of dread. Staying out of sight grew more difficult the closer she got toward the entrance and she still hadn't found them. Ducking behind a vendor selling balloon animals, she hazarded a glance toward the last section of the famous wooden structure. No Jasper with his spiky I-use-too-much-product hair. More importantly, however, no Annie.

"Oh no," she whispered, not even noticing when her cover moved on to the next group of excited kids. Scanning the area again, she double checked the more shadowy spots. The sun was in the perfect place to cast strange and dense shadows, sized to swallow and conceal someone as small as Annie. Nothing. Running both hands through her short hair she stomped her foot in frustration. "Shit."

A flash of lightening distracted her momentarily and she stared at the sky. Angry clouds rolled in the distance, closer than they'd been just minutes ago when she'd first left her post. As a California native, she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen a sky like that. Without the rumble of thunder to signal an immediate threat, however, the weather failed to hold her attention for long.

Once more, she searched the area, moving out into the open this time and not caring in the slightest if they saw her. Plenty of people came to the Pier. She'd play it off and everything would be fine - just as soon as she made sure her Annie was still in one piece. Despite her friend's insistence that Jasper was harmless to her, Silver didn't buy it. If anybody knew crazy, she did and that boy was a total nut job.

Almost at the main entrance, she spotted Annie, her auburn hair fiery red in the setting sun as she descended the concrete stairs toward the beach. Silver sagged with relief, forgetting to be annoyed that the plan had changed without warning.

Her self indulgence cost her, however. Just as she took her first step to follow them the vendor selling balloons blocked her view and was instantly surrounded by a crowd of children and parents all clamoring for attention. Maneuvering around them cost her precious seconds and she nearly knocked over two small toddlers in her haste.

"I'm sorry! Sorry," she called to the glaring parents, but didn't stop to make further amends. When the path was finally clear, she broke into a sprint and rushed to the top of the staircase. Eagerly, she looked over the railing, expecting to find them easily.

"No," Silver whispered in abject despair. The beach wasn't as crowded as the pier, but there were enough people to mask any sign of Annie and Jasper. Unable to tear her gaze away from the sand, she stumbled to the top of the stairs and collapsed on the step. Bracing her hands on her knees, she let her head fall dejectedly into her hands. "No, no, no, no, no."

After a moment, she sniffed and sat up, blinking away the tears of frustration blurring her vision. Searching briefly in her purse, she dug out her cell phone and found Liam's number. "Sorry, Annie. I screwed up. I can't let you do this alone anymore."

One upon a time, Liam had been a pro at partying. After nearly a year of laying low and trying to stay out of trouble, however, he discovered he'd lost his appreciation for it. Either that or this beach party just sucked. For the sake of his social life, he was leaning toward the latter.

Still nursing his first beer, Liam watched his classmates - people he had plenty common with and absolutely no desire to talk to - make utter asses out of themselves while he kept his distance. Neither the location, the company or the party favors merited the level of intoxication surrounding him. Every five minutes or so, he had to fight the urge to call Annie and beg her to come up with a good excuse for him to leave.

Turning his attention toward the ocean, he watched Teddy and the rest of the surfers ride some truly gorgeous waves. Despite the electrical storm creeping closer, he did wish he'd brought his board. If for no other reason than being able to escape the clumsy debauchery on the beach.

Speaking of clumsy, a very top heavy blond in a bikini top and a pair of cut offs that almost passed for shorts stumbled in front of him. A plastic cup in one hand, a beer in another, she weaved with each step closer and closer to the bonfire.

"Whoa, hey, here," Liam leapt to his feet and grabbed her arm just as she was about to pitch face first into the flames. Like a rag doll she collapsed into the chair he had been occupying. Before he could ask her if she was okay, she dropped the cup and can and passed out. Liam stared, then shook his head in disgust. By his best guess it was only a little after eight. He was all for getting the party started early, but that was pathetic. "Okay, it's been fun, but it's time to go."

Chucking his half full beer into the fire, he took off toward the shore intent on dragging Teddy out. There had to be something better to do then watch a bunch of lightweights drink themselves into a stupor.

"Hey, man, you're too late," Teddy said, when Liam made it to the water. The surfers were all swimming toward dry land. "Storms too close, we gotta call it quits."

"I'll live," he promised dryly. "I think we should bail."

Teddy raised an eyebrow. "We've been here an hour."

"Trust me, more time at this party is not the answer," he said sardonically, glancing over his shoulder at Sleeping Beauty, still sprawled at an uncomfortable angle in the chair.

"Okay, whatever," Teddy laughed easily as they made their way back toward the party. "We could always go crash whatever the girls are doing."

"Annie said something about Santa Monica," Liam said, automatically reaching for his cell phone. His friend's chuckle stayed his hand.

"Man, look at you," Teddy shook his head and gave him an appraising look. "You've got it bad."

Liam narrowed his eyes. "Got what bad?"

"This thing with Annie," he said. "It's serious, isn't it? That's why you were afraid to get involved. The stakes were too high."

Liam raised a brow. "Didn't you promised not to go all Dr. Phil on me."

"I'm sorry," Teddy apologized and held up his free hand. "It's just…Up until a couple months ago you were all about Naomi. I assumed Annie was a rebound or something."

"Annie's not a rebound," Liam replied suddenly very serious and irritated that his friend had even entertained the idea. Rationally, though, he supposed it wasn't that far out of left field. He'd fallen for Annie when no one, including himself was looking. Teddy had watched him work his ass off to regain Naomi's trust, to win her back, for almost six months. And yet for all that, the decision to end the relationship came in an instant and he never looked back. Now he admitted to Teddy something he'd never even admitted to himself. "Sometimes I think Annie's who I should have been with anyway."

"Really?" Teddy asked, genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, I mean there's a reason Naomi believed so easily that I slept with her. And it wasn't just because Annie's stupid wrap was in the bedroom," he explained, recalling that night, easily one of the worst of his life, in painful detail. "The first time Annie met me she saw through my bullshit inside of a minute and called me on it. No one else had ever done that and I was fascinated. I thought it was a game I was playing with her, just pushing buttons because I could but now I don't know. Naomi was the first girl I ever really cared about, but I think I fought so hard for her because I felt guilty and wanted to clear my name."

"Not because you loved her?"

Liam hesitated. Had he loved Naomi? He'd thought so at the time and he didn't want to believe that love could be so easy to let go and leave barely an impression on his heart. "I don't know anymore."

The sudden ringing of his cell phone saved Liam from baring any more of his soul. Snatching it from his back pocket, he frowned at the caller ID and shrugged at Teddy. "It's Silver."

"Should I be worried?" he smirked.

Liam rolled his eyes and answered the call. "Hey, Silver what's up?"

"Liam, you need to come to the Santa Monica Pier," Silver ordered, her voice clipped and strained. "Right now. Bring Teddy with you."

"Wait, what?" he frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't have time to explain," she cried. "Just get in your car. Put all that muscle and your street racing to good use. Get here now."

"You're girlfriend is insane," Liam told Teddy, but the panic in Silver's voice chilled him even in the oppressive heat. Digging his keys out of his pocket, he headed back toward the path anyway. "Alright, we're going. Now explain."

"Annie's in trouble."

Liam nearly lost his footing in the loose sand. "What kind of trouble?"

"The Jasper kind," she revealed, her voice breaking. Liam closed his eyes and swore. Silver didn't need to say another word, he knew exactly what Annie had gotten herself into.

"That fucking plan," he shook his head an called over his shoulder. "Teddy, we're leaving!"

"Yeah, the plan," Silver agreed miserably. "Liam, I'm so sorry. I tried to talk her out it. I tried to get her call you, but she wouldn't do it. She didn't want to get you involved."

"Forget it, where are you?" he demanded, breaking into a run once he hit the trail.

"I told you, at the Pier-"

"Where at the Pier? Be specific, Silver!" he demanded, scarcely breathing as he raced up the steep incline.

"Um, A-at the entrance, by the stairs down to the beach. That's where -"

Liam ended the call, too angry to listen to Silver make excuses. At the moment, he didn't care if he wasn't being fair to her. All that mattered was Annie. He wanted to be surprised, but he should have known she'd follow through with that ridiculous plan to trick Jasper into confessing. Even if it couldn't save him, she wouldn't give up and his outright refusal to even discuss it made it impossible for her to come to him. The hill felt twice as high and his lungs burned by the time he finally crested the top. He continued running to the GTO, only stopping there to brace his hands on the roof and gasp for some much needed air.

"Dammit, Annie," he muttered, pounding on the car in frustration. Whirling around, he glared at the roiling sky, his chest heaving. If Jasper hurt her…With a quick shake, he banished that thought from his head.

"What the hell's going on?" Teddy called from twenty yards away.

"Meet me at the Santa Monica Pier," Liam called, unlocking and wrenching open the door. Without waiting for his friend's response, he twisted the key in the ignition and stomped on the clutch. The engine roared to life and as he peeled away from the shoulder, the tires spitting gravel into the air. Before Teddy even reached the Mercedes, the orange GTO was nothing but taillights.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Twenty minutes after calling Liam, Silver paced the landing by the stairs as she followed orders to the letter. Chewing on a fingernail, she obsessively scanned the beach for any sign of Annie. More than once she thought she found her, only to be bitterly disappointed each time. A black hole might as well have opened up and swallowed both Annie and Jasper the second they were out of her sight considering how completely they seemed to have vanished.

"This is ridiculous!" she exclaimed just as a brilliant bolt of lightning flashed overhead, automatically drawing her attention. The storm had picked up speed and now dark, low hanging clouds completely blocked the sun. Audible thunder followed the bursts of light that came almost on top of each other. In a remarkably short time frame, day had become night and the crowds were thinning in response.

"Please don't let anything happen to her," Silver whispered to the stormy night sky. Their renewed friendship was only a few months old and she'd just recently started to understand the role she'd played in its destruction. She should have made an effort when Annie started to isolate herself with Jasper, rather than looking the other way. Although Silver never declared a side she'd picked one de facto by taking the path of least resistance. If Annie came out of this mess in one piece, Silver vowed then and there to make it all up to her.

"Silver!"

Whirling around, she nearly collapsed with relief as Liam sprinted toward her. "Oh, Liam, thank God."

"What the hell happened?" he demanded without preamble, breathing heavily from the run from the parking lot.

"Annie was meeting Jasper at eight, right there," Silver began, gesturing to the entrance a few yards away. "She was supposed to bring him down to the end of the pier where I was hiding so I could keep an eye on them."

"And you lost her?"

"No! She never made it down there," she explained, her initial relief bowing under the intensity of his glare. "I waited ten minutes and then made my way back here. I thought Jasper was late or they were just slow or she'd changed the plan without telling me. When I got here I couldn't find her at first, but then I saw them heading down the stairs to the beach."

Immediately, he brushed past her to scan the landscape below "So, why aren't you down there?"

"Because you told me to stay where I was," she cried, fighting the urge to vent her exasperation by beating on his broad shoulders. "There was a big group of noisy kids and their cranky parents blocking my way and by the time I made it to the stairs, they were gone."

"What do you mean they were gone?" he demanded, glancing at her over his shoulder with icy blue eyes so cold she almost shivered.

"Gone. As in nowhere to be found. As in disappeared," she retorted, crossing her bare arms and giving him a glare of her own. She did not need this. She already felt like shit, and there was no reason for Liam to make it worse.

Apparently satisfied that Silver actually did have a functioning pair of eyes, Liam turned away from the beach. His knuckles were white where he gripped the railing, his words clipped. "If anything happens to her, Silver, I swear-."

"What? You swear what, Liam?" she demanded in an angry burst of temper, indignation superseding her own guilt. She didn't care if she was poking a bear with a short stick. If he wanted to play the blame game, she had a few cards up her sleeve. "You want to blame this on me? Fine. Just don't forget to save some for yourself, okay? She's doing this for you, you know. Since the whole Zen Liam Court persona was all a bunch of bullsh-"

"Shut the hell up, Silver!" he swore, letting go of the rail and drawing himself up to his full height as he closed in on her. But Silver was beyond intimidation. Her nerves were shot and tears burned at her eyes.

"You're just determined to ruin her life, aren't you?" she continued, all her guilt, frustration and fear congealing in an explosive avalanche of condemnations that couldn't be held in check. All the reasons Annie and Liam were a bad idea came bubbling to the surface. "It wasn't enough to let Naomi and the entire school think she slept with you, was it? No, you have to make her fall for you and be willing to risk everything for a guy who only a few months ago was supposedly in love with her best friend."

"You don't know what you're talking about," he uttered through clenched teeth, but his eyes gave up some of their fury to pain.

"Annie would never have hooked up with Jasper in the first place if you'd had the balls to just tell Naomi you slept with her sister," she declared, jabbing a finger at his chest, in the heat of the moment tracing the misery of the past year back to that single cowardly and spiteful act.

"Hey! Okay, guys…separate corners," Teddy announced, arriving just in time to step between them. "This won't help find Annie and people are starting to stare."

Silver continued to glare at Liam, but allowed Teddy to pull her away. Already, the rational part of her was beginning to regret the adrenaline fueled diatribe, but she'd be damned if she let Liam lay this all on her. They'd all screwed up in the past year. Every single one of them played a part in the events leading up to this night and for just a moment, she was able to glimpse the inevitability of these horrific circumstances.

"I'm going to check the beach," Liam stated tersely. "You two, take the Pier."

"Oh, my God! I've been here the entire time," Silver argued, the delicate tendrils of remorse obliterated. "I would have seen them if they came back up."

"We've got it," Teddy promised. Without so much as glancing her way, Liam nodded and took off down the stairs. Silver barely waited until he was out of earshot to turn to her boyfriend.

"There is no way they're on the damn pier," she insisted, spreading her arms to encompass the landing. "I haven't moved from this spot for the past half hour. People are probably getting ready to throw change at my feet."

"Silver," Teddy said her name and calmly reached for her shoulders. "I know. But just humor him, okay? He's not really mad at you."

Silver scoffed. "Clearly, you didn't hear enough of our fight."

"No, but I caught the highlights," he pointed out. "I think you managed to rub salt in every single wound he has about what happened with Annie last year."

"Good. Now he knows how I feel," Silver pouted as her righteous indignation continued to drain away and the remorse grew stronger. Groaning in frustration, she briefly covered her face with her hands and then threw her arms around Teddy's neck. "Why did I let her do this? If anything happens -."

"We'll find her," he assured her, wrapping his strong arms around her and somehow making her believe it. Pulling away, he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "But not if we just stand here. Let's stick to the railing and work our way around. Maybe we'll be able to see them on the beach from up here."

Silver nodded and took a deep breath, clinging to Teddy's hand like a life line as he led her back into the throng.

After half an hour of walking through the sand, Annie was seriously regretting her choice of shoes. The kitten heeled hot pink thong sandals looked great with the dress she'd worn, but they were definitely not suited for the beach. Of course, in the grand scheme of her life at the moment, shoes were the last thing she should be worrying about.

Overhead, the electrical storm was getting worse. Lightening and the rumble of thunder distracting her from all the carefully plotted scripts she'd devised for leading Jasper into a confession. As the minutes ticked by, Annie was beginning to doubt she'd ever be able to steer the conversation around to the subject of Liam's boat. Every time she tried to shift the topic, Jasper had asked another question about her and her mind was too muddled by a bevy of concerns to adapt. At the moment, she was babbling about her community service.

"So, I mostly do office work for the staff," she explained, having given up on her shoes and carrying them in her free hand. They'd worked their way down the beach and were now passing the stairs to go back to the boardwalk. Annie tried to veer that way, but Jasper didn't follow, continuing steadily toward the dark shadows beneath the Pier, away from the crowds that were already thinning as the storm built. Looking longingly at the stairs, she ventured a suggestion. "Should we go back upstairs?"

"Nah," he shook his head and squinted at the bright lights and cacophony of the crowd. "It's still pretty crowded up there. Anyway, you were saying?"

Annie wanted to scream, but instead forced a smile to her features. "Well, um…It's boring, but I'm not qualified to actually interact with the patients, so I'm pretty much alone all day. Except for Tuesdays and Thursdays when I spend half the day in alcohol management classes."

"Alcohol management?" he repeated with disdain. "But you're not an alcoholic. You don't even party that much."

"Yeah, well…" Annie shrugged and tried to ignore the mounting anxiety as they made their way deeper into the shadows. At least the air was mercifully cooler there. "I don't think the court system really cares. It's all part of my punishment."

"That's so pointless," he muttered. "And such a waste of time. Like having a bunch of addicts tell you their sob stories is really going to change anything. Do you even talk or do you just sit there and listen until the time is up?"

"I told my story the first day," she admitted, vividly remembering that harrowing day and very grateful that it was all over. "But most people have more than one, so I really haven't had anything to say since then. I don't think the others feel like I belong there."

"You don't," Jasper declared. They reached the thick wooden posts embedded in the sand that supported the Pier. Directly overhead, the sounds of the boardwalk were muted, giving the impression they'd entered another world. Jasper leaned against one of the wooden posts now, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Therapy is for nut jobs, not people who just made a few bad choices."

"Horrifically bad choices," Annie laughed dryly, stopping a few feet away from him.

"You know, I had to go to therapy after I fell," Jasper admitted, opening the door to a potential conversation about himself for the first time all night. He smiled, but even from a distance Annie could see the bitterness bleeding from his eyes. "They didn't quite believe I was just screwing around and fell. Too much history of suicide at the Hollywood sign, I guess."

Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Annie spoke carefully. "Really? I had no idea."

"Yeah, some shrink spent a lot of time trying to get me to open up and talk about my feelings," he rolled his eyes. "I tried to explain it was an accident, but I caught on pretty quick that I just needed to shut up and agree with him. I'd get out of there a lot faster if I told him what he wanted to hear."

_The truth, you mean_, she thought, remembering that night. At the time she'd been more than willing to believe Jasper hadn't actually meant to kill himself, but she was done with the blinders on the past. A clap of thunder, made her jump and she decided she was also done dragging out this meeting. Masking the move by adjusting her purse, she turned on the voice recorder function of her cell phone. "Speaking of truth and all that. Can I ask you something?"

This time the smile came slowly and for a brief instant Annie felt very much like prey that had just stepped unknowingly into the crosshairs of the predator. "Of course. You can always ask me anything. You know that."

"Right," she swallowed, trying to remember that she had the upper hand. "I was just wondering…I mean, I heard this really ridiculous story about the night Liam attacked you."

Straightening, he moved farther into the shadows and Annie had little choice but to follow. The one thing she hadn't tested was the range of the recorder. With the noise of the ocean and the boardwalk above, she figured she had to stay fairly close. His words were light, almost careless when he replied. "What kind of story?"

"Oh, it's…so out there," she laughed and hoped he didn't notice how strained the sound was. "I'm sure it's just Liam's stupid fantasy to try and shift the blame."

"So, spit it out already."

"Well, Liam claims you set his boat on fire," she explained, moving close enough to reach out and touch him. "That's why he attacked you."

Silence stretched between them, heavy enough to block out the sounds of people and life emanating elsewhere. Annie's heart was pounding so loudly, she was sure it would drown out all other sound and the recording would be ruined. This was the moment she'd been working toward all evening. Anticipation robbed her of breath. If he just admitted it, she could drop the façade and leave.

"Is that what he says?" Jasper finally asked.

"Yes," she replied immediately.

He glanced over his shoulder, eyes shrewd. "Do you believe him?"

"Of course not," she replied, but her bottom lip trembled.

"What if I did?" he wondered, turning to fully face her now, his eyes shrouded in shadow. "Does that change things? Between us, I mean?"

"N-no," she shook her head for added emphasis. "I mean, even if you did, that's no excuse for putting you in the hospital."

Studying her thoughtfully, a sad smile curving his lips, Jasper boldly reached out and touched her face. His fingers lightly stroked her cheek, and despite her best efforts Annie couldn't prevent the shiver than ran down her spine. He sighed. "Oh, Annie. You were so beautiful. Really something special."

"I-I'm not? Anymore?" she asked to keep him talking, even though every instinct she had was telling her to run. He continued the caress, his touch a fraction rougher.

"You're still beautiful," he murmured, his gaze drifting over her features, lingering on her lips. When he met her gaze again, his eyes sharpened and became flint. The smile disappeared. "But now I know you're just like them. Brainwashed automatons."

"I don't understand."

"You're lying."

Ice water poured through her veins and her heart fell to her stomach. "Wh-what do you mean? I'm not lying. I really don't get what auto-"

"Yes. You are," he insisted, the detached, dreamy way he'd been speaking morphing to cold, hard precision. His face became an ugly mask and he forced her back a few steps, pinning her against one of the rough wooden pilings. The hand touching her cheek shifted to pinch her jaw so she couldn't even move her head. Unable to look away, his angry, hateful eyes seemed to bore right through her.

Suddenly, she felt the press of something hard and cold against the pulse point beneath her jaw and the world came to an abrupt halt. "So why don't you drop the act and for once in your life tell the truth."

Fifteen fruitless minutes later, Liam found himself back at the base of the stairs. The anxiety that had turned him into a speed demon, pushing the GTO over the 100 mph mark on the way to the Pier, had morphed into a full blown panic attack in light of his failure to find Annie and Jasper. Silver's words pounded in his brain, bolstering his guilt with every pulse.

"_She's doing this for you, you know."_

"She's right," he whispered, bracing his hands on his hips and scanning the sand for the millionth time. Silver's accusations had been harsh, but he couldn't deny any of them. One simple truth from him could have prevented Naomi and Annie's fight. He may still have been damned, but at least Annie wouldn't have been forced out of her circle of friends and straight into Jasper's arms. If anything happened to her, he'd have nowhere to lay the blame but at his own feet. "Come on, Annie. Where are you?"

To his left two people – a father and son – played Frisbee. The son's wild throw sent the green disc arcing over the father's outstretched hands and gliding gracefully to a stop in the sand beneath the pier. Liam stood up a little straighter, eyes narrowed toward the deepening shadows. With the setting sun completely blocked by the clouds, the already uninviting underbelly of the tourist trap seemed positively ominous. The labyrinth of wooden pillars supporting the boardwalk made it the perfect place to disappear in plain sight. He knew Annie had asked Silver to help her because she was smart enough not to meet Jasper on her own. The last place she would have gone was under that pier.

But it was exactly the place a psycho like Jasper would choose.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered, already striding across the sand, his heart pounding painfully in his chest with the unwavering certainty that Jasper had Annie trapped somewhere in the rapidly darkening shadows. Even so, when his phone rang he answered with the hope that he was wrong. "Did you find her?"

"No. We've got nothing," Teddy admitted dejectedly. "I take it you haven't either?"

"No, but I think I know where they are," he declared grimly, the pier now looming above him, taking up the entire sky as he came to the edge of the gloom. "They've got to be under the boardwalk. It's the only place I haven't looked."

"Why the hell would she be under there?"

"She wouldn't. Not by choice."

"Aw, hell," Teddy swore, understanding the implication behind Liam's words. "We're on our way down. Don't go under there by your-."

Liam ended the call, uninterested in making promises he had no intention of keeping. He'd seen firsthand what Jasper was capable of and Annie had been alone with him far too long already. With no further hesitation, he plunged into the darkness.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

On a good day, sunny and clear, the expanse of beach under the Santa Monica Pier was much like the Pier itself. A little dirty and cluttered, but tourist friendly. Maybe not the place a parent would let their toddlers play, but nobody thought twice about traveling under it to get from one side of the beach to the other. With the sun swallowed by the electrical storm, however, beneath the boardwalk was a shadowy, claustrophobic maze of shadows. The type of ominous and foreboding place a normal person would avoid and exactly the kind of place a creep like Jasper would love.

Liam's eyes adjusted to the weak light as he fought the urgency pushing him to move faster. Carefully, he wove his way through the support beams and the long shadows they cast. The noise from the Pier above was oddly muted, the waves crashing on shore echoing loudly in his ears. Not even five yards behind him, the father and son were still playing Frisbee, but they might as well have been in a different world. The disconnect was unsettling.

_If I were Jasper, where would I take her? _Liam paused by one of the rough, water ravaged wooden beams and scanned the shadows. Thinking like that psychopath wasn't something he relished, but finding Annie was more important. Near the base of the Pier, the gloom was thickest. Even if someone happened to stroll through, chances were they wouldn't look that way. Without hesitation, he altered his course and trudged silently through the sand.

The breeze beneath the Pier was nonexistent, the air cloying and humid. Liam paused and used the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face. When he opened his eyes again, he saw her. A flash of bare shoulder and that auburn hair he'd recognize anywhere. Relief made his shoulders sag and he nearly broke into a run, but he only made it a few steps before stopping abruptly. With his vantage point altered, he could now see Jasper as well. The bastard had Annie pinned to one of the support beams, his fingers digging into her jaw with bruising force, but that wasn't what forced Liam to a halt. No, what made him falter in fear, uncertainty and disbelief was the dull gleam of the gun Jasper pressed into Annie's throat.

The first drops of rain fell as Silver and Teddy fought with the crowd to get back to the stairs leading to the beach. Not even moving in the same direction as the throng made their journey quicker as vendors wooed the hurried masses to their booths for one last tourist trinket before they fled the storm.

Teddy felt Silver's impatience bleeding through his t-shirt where her hands clenched his shoulders. Any other time, he would have laughed at the typical Erin Silver inability to wait for anything, but under the circumstances, he shared her frustration.

"How does he know they're under the Pier?" she demanded, her breath hot on his ear as she leaned close to be heard.

"He doesn't," Teddy said. Waiting in exasperation as a father and mother stopped directly in front of him to buy their children snow cones. Weaving around them, he found a small break in the crowd and pushed through. "But they're not on the beach and you swore they couldn't be up here, so it makes sense."

"But why would Annie go under the Pier?" she demanded, her voice pitched higher than normal with stress and worry.

"I don't know," Teddy admitted grimly. They'd reached the halfway point and as if sensing their urgency, the crowd suddenly became more congested. Their pace slowed to a crawl.

"This is all Liam's fault," Silver muttered darkly, resting her forehead on his back, between his shoulder blades.

Rolling his eyes, Teddy stopped on his own now, and turned to face his girlfriend. "Okay, enough."

"What?" she asked, eyes wide.

"You have to stop blaming this on Liam," he insisted. "He didn't even know Annie was planning this, right?"

"That's not the point-"

"Right?"

Silver crossed her arms and refused to look at him. "Fine. Right."

"Look," Teddy sighed, realizing they were wasting time, but knowing she had to face what was really bothering her. "I know I wasn't around last spring when all this drama went down, and I know it sucked, but blaming someone doesn't change anything right now and it definitely doesn't help Annie. Especially since, I don't think it's Liam that you're really mad at, is it?"

"I _am_ mad at Liam," she stubbornly replied, but her eyes sparkled with unshed tears and her lower lip trembled.

"Silver."

Sighing heavily, she stared at the lights overhead, lit early because of the storm. "Okay, fine. I'm upset with myself. I can't help thinking if I'd just…been a better friend, if I'd shown Annie she could count on me, none of this would have happened."

"So, be a better friend now," he said, framing her face in his hands and forcing her to look him in the eye. "That's when it counts, right?"

Wordlessly, Silver allowed herself to be mollified and blinked away the tears. "Okay. Okay, you're right."

"Of course I'm right," he winked and grinned. Silver fought a smile as she rolled her eyes and playfully punched his arm. "And cut Liam some slack. If Annie feels the same way about him that he does about her…she's not going to want to hear how it's all his fault."

Silver tilted her head and frowned, perplexed. "He really cares about her?"

"Uh, yeah. Just a little bit," Teddy replied with certainty. From his pocket emanated the muffled chirp of his cell phone. As he groped for it, he grabbed Silver's hand and began pulling her with him back through the crowd. Glancing at the text message, his heart dropped to his feet and he once again stopped.

"What-why are you stopping?" Silver asked, sidling up beside him as people streamed past them.

"Things just got a lot worse," he murmured, showing Silver the short message and knowing by her audible gasp when she'd read it.

_Call the cops. He's got a gun._

The second Annie was able to comprehend that the hard, cold object pressing into her throat was a gun, she forgot all about the plan. Dropping both her arms, her purse slipped off her shoulder and fell to the sand beside her cell phone. With shaking fingers, she clung to the weather beaten wood post as she struggled to breathe. Never in any worst case scenario had she entertained the idea that Jasper would show up with a gun, let alone that he would use it now to trap her. Her brain railed at her to scream for help, but fear was a remarkable paralysis.

Jasper stood overwhelmingly close, her entire field of vision blocked by the black fury of his eyes. Splinters bit into her skin as she flexed her fingers against the wood. Seconds ticked away during which she could hear nothing but the hammering beat of her own pulse. He accused her of being brainwashed, said he wanted the truth and while there were plenty of truths she'd hid from him, she had no idea which one he wanted to hear. At the moment, she was willing to tell him almost anything.

"Jasper, what-what are you doing?" she stuttered, shaking so badly her voice was nearly unrecognizable. "Put the gun down. Please."

In response, the barrel dug deeper into her skin, while the fingers pinching her jaw tightened. Narrowing his eyes, Jasper shook his head. When he spoke his tone was conversational, almost pleasant. "I don't think so, Annie. See, I've given you all night to do the right thing and be honest with me, but you haven't. I didn't want to do it this way, but you gave me no other choice."

"But, I don't understand," she whispered, tears pooling in her eyes. "What-what am I not being honest about?"

"Oh, where do I begin?" he sighed and absently tapped the barrel of the gun against her chin, making her wince. "How about you tell me what you were doing on Liam's boat the night I set it on fire?"

Annie's eyes grew wide, her purpose for being on the beach with Jasper returning to her in a rush. Unable to check the motion, she glanced down at the ground, searching for her cell phone. _Please be recording, _she prayed. This would all be worth it if that one sentence had been saved.

If she survived.

"I helped-."

"Only the truth, Annie," he cautioned. "No lies, or I'll really get upset.

"I helped him build it," she replied, her teeth clenched as the gun was once again pressing into her jaw. "He wanted to show it off."

"And bragging about his boat meant having his hands all over you?" Jasper demanded, every word a cutting barb.

"I told him about the hit and run. I was upset and Liam was there for me. He's my friend," Annie swallowed as tears slid down her cheeks and despite his warning decided to lie. Jasper couldn't possibly know she and Liam were together. Nobody knew. Being honest about that would only put a bullet in her head quicker. She took as deep a breath as she could. "We're just friends."

"Just friends," he mimicked, his nostrils flaring as rage went from a simmer to an outright boil, triggered no doubt by something in her confession but she clamped her lips shut as salty tears slid over them. Jasper's already heavy breathing escalated and he dropped his head for a moment. With a primal roar of frustration, he snatched the gun away from her throat. Relief surged through her, but it was short lived as he immediately leveled it directly at her heart. "I said no lies! What part of that don't you understand?"

"I'm not lying!"

"Yes. You are!" he insisted. Spittle flew from his lips and his own eyes filled with tears of rage. Everything calm and collected about his demeanor vanished. "I saw you. I saw you with him."

Annie started to shake her head, to protest, when realization dawned on her. There was only one place anybody could have seen her and Liam. Blinking through her blurred vision, she sagged against the post. "The clinic. In the parking lot. You were there."

"Yeah, I was there," he spat the words out as if they were poison. "I was there while you let Liam use you like some kind of slut on the hood of his car. After everything he did to you, all the pain he caused you, how could you let him touch you? How could you betray me like that?"

"Betray you?" Annie choked on a hysterical laugh. They were back to this, back to the same tired routine she'd dealt with months ago. Well, she wasn't the same girl, didn't have the same secrets to keep and more than anything, she wasn't alone anymore. There wasn't a single part of her still clinging to the sense of belonging he had offered. The certainty made her bold. "Jasper, I can't betray you. There's nothing left to betray."

"Don't say that," he ordered. "We're soul mates."

"God, no we're not!" she cried, anger of her own superseding her fear. For all the things she'd screwed up in the past year, she was willing to take a certain amount of karmic justice, but she refused to accept a future that included the single biggest mistake of her life. "We are nothing, Jasper. Everything we had was based on a lie."

"I love you. No one else does. Not Liam, not anybody," he insisted. "We belong together. If I have to prove that to you, I will."

Despite his shaking hands, Jasper kept the gun aimed carefully at her heart. Prove it to her? How would he…Her gaze dropped to the weapon and with sinking dread and sudden clarity she understood. "H-how many bullets are in that gun?"

He smiled, a sick, sad thing. "Three. Just enough for both of us and an extra in case I miss the first time."

"Miss?"

"I don't want it to hurt you," he promised, his eyes wide and sincere, as if they were discussing something mundane rather than a twisted Romeo and unwilling Juliet murder/suicide. Pressing the gun under her chin once more, he drew close and petted her hair. "I could never hurt you."

"Putting a bullet in my head is gonna hurt me, Jasper," she argued, grasping desperately for a compelling argument. Her momentary surge of bravado weakened under the horrific promise of his threat.

"No, you'll just be asleep," he whispered, all the rage and hurt gone from his eyes, replaced by a calm that was a thousand times more frightening. "We'll both be asleep. The only person this will hurt is Liam."

"And my friends, my parents, Dixon," Annie tried to reason with him, carefully clasping the arm that wasn't holding the gun, hoping that her touch would somehow bring him back to reality. "Please, don't do this. I don't want to die."

Jasper frowned, genuinely perplexed. "There's no other way. I-I've thought about this. All my other plans failed. It's the only way for us."

Despair weakened her and she shook her head, fresh tears spilling anew. "No."

"Close your eyes, Annie. It will all be over soon," he said soothingly. With one last show of spite, she tried to keep her eyes wide open, but at the last second her courage failed. Jasper pressed a kiss to her unyielding lips and whispered. "I'll see you soon."

"Jasper, stop."

At the order from the calm, commanding and exquisitely familiar voice, Annie's eyes flew open. If she hadn't been pinned to the wooden post, she would have collapsed to the ground in relief. Instead, she thanked every deity she could think of that Silver had carried through on her threat. With lips curved in a smile of gratitude. "Liam."

Jasper whirled around, but kept the gun firmly in place. With his attention elsewhere, Annie knew this might be her only chance to get away, but she couldn't move. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Doesn't matter," Liam shrugged, his hands in his pockets as he stood there calmly, not ten feet away, looking every inch the savior in his white shirt and jeans. Even through her fear, however, she could see the rapid rise and fall of his chest, the way the veins on his forearms stood out as he clenched his fists in his pockets. "Put the gun down, man. The cops are on their way. You don't want to do that."

"No, _you _don't want me to it," Jasper sneered, turning back to Annie and pressing the gun so hard against her throat she couldn't breathe.

"Honestly? I don't care," Liam replied, but she caught the nearly imperceptible shake of his head and knew he'd heard enough of Jasper's crazy rant to figure out a counterattack. "You were right. I was using Annie. She doesn't matter to me. Never did."

Annie's gaze darted between both boys as Liam's words registered and had the desired affect. Jasper's focus slipped from her face to the ground and he frowned. "She…doesn't matter?"

"Not really," Liam made a face and shook his head. "I mean, I don't want her to die, but uh…if you're doing this because you think it's the only way you can have her, don't waste the bullets. I'm not going to stand in your way."

Miraculously, Jasper eased up on the pressure at her neck. Black spots danced across her vision as Annie was finally able to draw a full breath. She still didn't dare move, but Jasper's focus was split in two between her and Liam. Indecisive now, his great plan thrown into doubt by Liam's sudden appearance, Jasper ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up even wilder than usual. He murmured wonderingly to himself. "He doesn't want her. She doesn't have to die."

Immediately, she looked to Liam as he briefly closed his eyes, the only outward sign of relief he'd allow. The gun trailed slowly down her neck to her collarbone to rest over her heart. Jasper returned his attention to her, eyes wild and unfocused. Tilting his head, he studied her and she squirmed under the intensity of his gaze. After a moment he narrowed his eyes. "You don't need to die," he whispered, his lips splitting into a menacing smile. In an instant the gun was gone and he swung around to level it at Liam. "But you do."

Liam's eyes went wide and he pulled his hands from his pockets, holding them up. "Whoa."

"Jasper, no! No, he doesn't," Annie insisted, choking on panic more intense than any she'd felt yet. "No one needs to die."

Wildly, the gun swung back to face her. Something had clicked into place in his mind and he was calm, methodical again. "Yes, he does. He may not care about you, but you care about him."

"No-no I don't," she mimicked Liam's casual dismissal. "I was using him, too, Jasper. I told you. After what he did to you…"

"Enough!" he screamed. The gun swung back around to Liam and he advanced slowly, closing the distance step by step. "I'm tired of talking. Although, I do owe you for showing me that my thinking was a little off."

"A little?" Liam scoffed, his hands still raised. "Yeah, I say."

"I'll make it quick," Jasper offered. "As a thank you."

"Oh, that's…awesome, thanks," Liam replied dryly, holding his ground. Once again, Annie was near hyperventilation. Desperately, she searched for something, anything to use as a weapon. The immediate area was empty of anything but a few small rocks and buckets of sand. The shadows ate up everything around her. She had nothing in her purse. Coming alive, she stumbled away from the post, her gaze landing on Jasper and noting his stance. Legs spread evenly and wide, knees locked as he cradled the gun in both hands.

Acting on instinct, she lashed out a bare foot at the back of his knee, inspired by a stupid, childish game she and Dixon had played growing up. Catch the other person unaware and launch a playful kick at their locked knees and they'd go down. Every time. No matter how big or small, the playing field was always level. She'd been better at it than anybody because no one suspected the petite little girl in pigtails and a dress.

This time she saved Liam's life.

Jasper cried out as his knee gave way, his hands flying up in the air even as they held the weapon. A sharp crack echoed as the gun went off, the bullet embedding itself in the thick wood of the boardwalk overhead. Annie screamed and fell to the ground, covering her head on instinct. Liam took advantage of Jasper's distraction to tackle him. With the gunshot still echoing in her ears, Annie lifted her head to find the two boys rolling in the sand.

"Liam!" she cried, scanning the sand for the weapon and hoping with everything in her that she'd find it harmlessly cast aside. Not until her eyes fell back to the scuffle did she see the sickeningly familiar glint of metal trapped between the two. "Oh my god. No. Stop. Please, stop. The gun-."

A second muffled blast erupted and she screamed again, her hands flying to her face as she scrambled backwards to cower by the same wooden piling she'd been trapped against. Holding her breath, she strained to see if either one had been shot, but neither boy slowed down. With both legs in working order, Jasper wasn't an easy adversary to defeat. She winced as Liam took a couple decent blows to the face, despite the fact that each boy had a hand on the gun, still trapped between them.

Tears were streaming down her face in earnest now and her voice was a choked whisper as she begged. "Please stop. Please."

By some stroke of ill luck, Jasper forced Liam on to his back and wrenched the gun free long enough to aim. This time, Annie froze, unable to even utter a scream as Jasper gasped for breath and laughed. "Not so easy to beat without the crutches, huh?"

Out of nowhere, Jasper's victorious moment was cut short as a blur of blue and khaki barreled into Jasper from the side, knocking the gun out of his hands as they hit the sand. A hand touched her arm and Annie jerked away in confused terror.

"It's okay, Annie. It's me," Silver promised, her eyes wide with worry. Brushing Annie's hair from her face, she stroked her cheek. "Everything's gonna be okay, I promise. We called the police. They're on their way."

Annie said nothing, her brain having shut down to pure survival mode, and looked back at the tussle in the sand. Teddy had wrenched Jasper away from Liam, but the determined psychopath wasn't giving in without a further fight. Only a few feet away from her outstretched, bare feet, the gun gleamed dully. Acting solely on instinct, she dove for it, ignoring Silver's beseeching cry.

"Jasper, stop!" she cried, holding the gun out in front of her and rising unsteadily to her feet. The lethal object was heavy and unfamiliar in her hands, but she held on for everything she was worth. Teddy had locked both of Jasper's arms behind his back and yanked him to his feet while Liam knelt in the sand catching his breath. At the sound of her voice, the boys froze.

As she stepped toward her ex, the boy she'd once been willing to give everything she had, time slowed down. Her focus sharpened to a single pinpoint as she advanced on an increasingly agitated Jasper. Beneath her feet, she could feel every individual grain of sand as it shifted and settled to support her. Her rational self felt like she was watching from outside, feeling everything, but unable to control it. Her feet kept moving until the barrel of the gun dug into Jasper's chest, directly above his heart.

"Annie, what are you doing?" he asked, no longer quite so drunk with power now that the gun was in someone else's hands.

"I don't know," she replied, oddly detached. "Maybe…There's one bullet left, isn't there?"

"Annie," Liam said her name, but the single word had to fight through layers of cotton before it sunk into her brain. When it did, she nearly dropped the gun out of sheer desire to go to him, but another force held her hand firm.

"Maybe it's the only way," she mused, noting absently the tears still falling down her cheeks. The cheeks of another girl. A scared, weak girl who had latched onto a monster because she'd been so alone. She looked into the petrified eyes of that monster and relished the fear she saw there. Fed off it. Teddy disappeared, Silver was barely a memory. The only things in her universe were Jasper the Monster and the Gun in her hands. "Nothing else seems to work. Do I need to kill you, Jasper? Is that the only way you'll believe it's over? The only way you'll leave me alone?"

"You don't want to do it, Annie," Liam murmured, this time much closer, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. Slowly, he slipped a hand around her waist and held her close so the warmth of his body bled through the thin material of her summer dress. Somewhere in the distance, the piercing wail of a siren split the night. "His blood on your hands…he's not worth it."

The hard shell of detachment surrounding her cracked minutely as she leaned against him. Again he was talking to her, his voice a low, steady thrum in her ear dragging her back from that primal place of fear. A place where Annie Wilson, the country girl from Kansas, was holding a gun on a unarmed boy she once thought she loved. "The cops are here. Let them handle it. Please, Annie." With a steady hand he tugged the weapon gently from her grasp and tossed it with a heavy thump to the sand. In that instant, the spell broke.

"Oh my god," she breathed, whirling on Liam and throwing her arms around his neck. Burying her face against the very real and solid wall of his chest, she shuddered as she came fully back to reality. Her senses relaxed and took in everything. The crash of the tide as it battered the pilings, the rumble of thunder overhead, and the fresh sent of rain on the cool air that finally blew beneath the pier. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to deny what she'd been about to do. "Oh, god, Liam, I almost…I was ready to…"

"It's okay," he murmured, a hand on the back of her head, holding her to him. His lips pressed against her temple and she could feel his breath when he promised. "It's over, it's okay."

"The police are here," Silver announced. Annie turned her head enough to see, keeping her cheek pressed over Liam's heart. He was still breathing hard, his pulse racing beneath her ear. The surge of genuine relief coursing through her was so heady, she nearly swooned.

"First time…I've ever been glad…to see cops," Liam joked, his words punctuated by shallow gasps that managed to sound wrong, even amidst the utter wrongness of the entire night. Annie frowned and pulled away just as he swayed slightly on his feet.

"Are you okay?" she asked, the light from the police officer's flashlights momentarily illuminating his features so that the pain in his icy blue eyes took her breath away.

"I'm fine," he insisted, even as he dropped to one knee, a fine sheen of sweat bathing his face. Annie fell with him, cradling his face in her hands.

"Liam, what's wrong?" she demanded, panic all too familiar and sour in her gut. He tried to speak, to shake his head again in denial, but he sagged against her, his feverishly hot forehead resting against her bare shoulder. For one, long terrifying moment, he didn't move. "Liam!"

"Annie, I'm…" he breathed, rocking back on his heels. Her gaze fell to the hand clutching his side. Something black covered that hand and had spread to the white fabric of his shirt. Then the police arrived on the scene, and a beam from one of their flashlights turned the black to brilliant red.

"Is everyone alright here?" a uniformed officer demanded.

"No," Annie shook her head, her hand automatically covering Liam's where it was pressed to his side. Despite the curse he uttered, she held it there and looked at the officer with wide, fearful eyes. "Someone's been shot."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

For a very brief moment that felt like an eternity to Annie, no one moved. The officer who had spoken, a young rookie who couldn't have been more than six months out of the academy, stared at her through eyes wide with shock as Liam's blood continued to spread across his white shirt. Beneath the trembling hand on his forehead, his skin was damp with sweat, his breathing shallow and fast. Whatever fear Annie had felt when Jasper had her hostage, whatever desperation, was nothing compared to this. Liam had been shot. People _died_ from being shot. Using every ounce of panic and helplessness, she shouted. "Help him! Please!"

The harsh demand changed the entire atmosphere beneath the Pier. Immediately, the rookie cop took action and joined Annie in the sand beside Liam, calling back to dispatch to have paramedics sent to their location. Her partner, an older and presumably more experienced officer confiscated the gun, still lying in the sand where Liam had dropped it only moments before and ordered Teddy and Jasper to separate and stand against two of the wooden pilings.

"I'm Officer Andrews," the rookie said, moving now with an assuredness that belied her youth. Gently, but firmly she eased Liam back against the closest wooden post. Hissing in pain as the exertion aggravated the wound, he let his head fall against the post. "What's your name?"

"It's Liam. Liam Court," Annie supplied immediately, refusing to relinquish her grip on his hand.

"Thanks, honey, but let him talk, okay," Officer Andrews informed her patiently. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"He was trying to hurt Annie," Liam spoke through clenched teeth, every syllable a painful struggle. Through half closed eyes, he held her gaze. Annie bit her lip so hard she tasted blood and her eyes filled with tears. Her entire being vibrated with a need to help, to act, but there was no way to fix this.

"Who?" the officer asked, oblivious to Annie's turmoil as she tried to get a look at the wound. "Honey, you've got to let go of his hand and let me take a look at this."

"What? Oh," Reluctantly, Annie removed her hand, allowing Liam to do the same. She didn't want to look, but her were drawn to the exposed wound. Mercifully, the dusky shadows masked the details, but that didn't stop the small sob from spilling from her lips. The blood had saturated the lower half of Liam's shirt, plastering it to his skin.

"Jasper Herman," Liam stated, tilting his chin slightly toward the other boy no more than fifteen feet away. Focused solely on Liam, Annie had forgotten about Jasper and she turned now to stare accusingly at him. In all her life, even during the hellish past year, Annie had never truly hated anybody. Even now she couldn't hate Jasper for what he'd done to her, but for shooting Liam she would hate him for the rest of her life.

"Jasper's the one on the right," Annie added in a voice void of emotion, pointing toward the boy and actually regretting for a moment that she hadn't pulled the trigger when she'd had a chance. The deadly thought horrified her on one level, but revenge suddenly became a very vivid fantasy. Something she could do besides sitting uselessly at Liam's side while he bled to death.

Then strong, familiar fingers twined through hers as Liam reached for her, breaking through her vengeful reverie. Annie gasped and closed her eyes, fighting a sudden nausea as she came back to herself. Through heavy lids, Liam looked at her, his breathing still shallow but no longer as quick. He squeezed her fingers, though with a strength that reassured her.

"Hmm," Officer Andrews responded, her attention solely focused on her job as temporary paramedic. She probed a little at Liam's side, eliciting a much more vocal response than before. His fingers clenched so tightly around hers, Annie winced. After a few moments of exploration, the officer addressed Annie directly. "Do you have anything somewhat clean we can use to stop the bleeding? A towel or sweatshirt, maybe?"

Annie blinked and looked down at her sleeveless dress helplessly. "I-."

"Use this," Silver suddenly appeared, shrugging out of the long, grey sleeveless vest she'd layered over her rich purple tank top. Offering it to the officer, she knelt in the sand beside them. "It's a little damp from the rain, but it should work."

"Thank you," Officer Andrews replied, folding the vest a few times and pressing it directly over the wound. Meeting Annie's gaze for the first time, she addressed her. "What's your name?"

"Annie Wilson."

"Alright, Annie," she nodded and grabbed the wrist of the hand that wasn't locked with Liam's in a death grip. "Since I doubt I'll be able to separate you two, put pressure here, but don't go overboard. This isn't the movies. It doesn't take a grown ass man's full body weight to stop the flow of blood."

Annie nodded, eager to finally be _doing _something tangible to help Liam. Carefully studying his face for any hint of added discomfort, she gingerly pressed the folded up vest to his side. He held her gaze and aside from a minute increase in the pressure on her fingers, didn't react. The light grey material hid the still spreading stain and for a moment, she could almost pretend he wasn't bleeding. Officer Andrews nodded once more in encouragement and then stood. Suddenly panicked, Annie cried. "Where are you going?"

"You'll be okay," Officer Andrews assured her. "The wound isn't as bad as it looks and I need to flag the paramedics when they arrive. My partner, Officer Winston, will be right here."

"I'll help you, Annie," Silver promised as Andrews jogged toward the edge of the boardwalk and into the rapidly descending night. Annie nodded and returned her attention to Liam. Determined, but terrified Annie searched his face.

"Am I hurting you?" she asked.

The question struck him as funny and he tried to laugh, but it dissolved into a series of pained coughs as the wound protested. Gasping for breath, he shook his head. "No worse than the hole in my side."

"That is so not funny," Silver admonished and for the first time Annie noticed the tracks of mascara running down her friend's cheeks. Either it had rained harder than she thought or Silver had been just as scared as she was.

"But true," he raised an eyebrow, the Liam Court cocky charm doing more to soothe her frayed nerves than anything else.

The paramedics' response time was mercifully short. Just a few minutes after she left, Officer Andrews jogged back beneath the Pier, leading a team of EMT's carrying a portable backboard. Unlike the rookie cop, the paramedics had no interest in coddling Annie as they quickly assessed the situation. By now the pain and blood loss had pushed Liam into a hazy semi consciousness. She wasn't even sure he was with it enough to know he was still holding her hand, but when they ordered her to back up and give them room, she wasn't the only one who resisted. His fingers once again tightened around hers and Annie refused to let him go until Silver grabbed her shoulders and reminded her that medics were there to help.

The paramedics spoke in a medical shorthand that Annie couldn't follow, but she caught a few words and phrases as they worked on Liam that made her stomach twist with anxiety. Terms like 'shock', phrases like 'erratic BP' were self explanatory and horrifying, leaving her imagination primed to fear the worst. They didn't waste time and within a few minutes had him loaded onto the backboard.

"I'm going with him," Annie insisted, rising to follow the paramedics back to the waiting ambulance.

"Oh, no you're not," Officer Winston stepped between her and the rapidly departing medical team.

Annie balked, slightly panicked at the thought of being separated from him. What if something happened when she wasn't there? The fact that the only skill she brought to the table was her ability to hold his hand didn't matter. "I'm not leaving Liam alone."

"Even if there were room for you, I can't let you leave the scene," the officer shook his head, leaving no room for argument. "We need statements from you about what happened here tonight."

"Annie, he'll be okay," Silver murmured, touching her arm in reassurance. Annie swallowed and looked away from the officer's indifferent gaze. Blood stained the sand where Liam had been only moments before, black in the rapidly darkening evening.

"Fine," she replied, steeling her jaw and folding her arms to ward against the cool evening air. The storm had all but vanished, taking the stifling humidity with it and Annie just now realized how cold she was. "Let's get this over with."

"Who brought the gun?" Officer Andrews asked the first question.

"He did," Annie replied immediately, pointing at Jasper who had managed to school his features into a calm, concerned mask of innocence. The psychotic freak that only moments ago had her pinned against the wooden support beams with a gun to her throat was gone. Experience taught her he'd try to talk his way out of what had happened, so before he could begin to suck up to the officers, she continued in a rush. "He was going to kill me until Liam stepped in and then Jasper turned the gun on him and they fought over it. It went off twice, but I didn't know Liam had been shot until you both got here."

Officer Winston turned to Jasper and inquired placidly. "That true?"

Jasper held up his hands and shook his head. "Officers, Annie's been through a lot, she's a little hysterical-."

"Hysterical?" Annie cut in, her voice rising as anger flared through her. Silver once again was there with a reassuring hand on her arm, but there was no need. As much as Annie would have loved to wipe the mockery of innocence from Jasper's face, she wasn't quite brave enough to allow herself within arm's reach of him. "Of course I'm hysterical! You held a gun to my throat. You tried to kill me!"

"Is this your gun?" Officer Andrews demanded of Jasper, returning to her original question.

Jasper looked the rookie cop square in the face and lied. "No."

This time, Annie's wasn't the only voice raised in angry condemnation. Teddy and Silver, content up to that point to remain silent until needed, leapt to Annie's defense. While several voices rose in a cacophony around her, Annie dropped her head to her hands, massaging at her sore jaw. She could still feel Jasper's fingers on her skin, a ghostly imprint of the vice grip with which he'd trapped her. Helplessness, much like she'd felt when he'd first led her beneath the pier, overwhelmed her. None of it would matter, she thought with despair. Jasper thrived on manipulating a situation and once again there was no proof to back up their claims. It was their word against his and as he stood there coolly deflecting the blame, outwardly calm and rational, the angry outbursts from Teddy, Silver and herself just looked all the more damning.

"Hey, enough!" Officer Wilson shouted, his voice cutting through the din. Addressing Jasper, he continued his questions in the same neutral tone that gave Annie no clues as to where his sympathies lay. "If it's not your gun, whose is it?"

"I'm assuming its Liam Court's," Jasper shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. "He was fighting with Annie down here when I found them. I stepped in, tried to help her, but the guy's crazy. He pulled the gun on me."

"That's bullshit," Silver interjected, her blue eyes narrowed in anger.

"Did you see what happened?" Officer Andrews asked the question.

"N-no," Silver admitted, though it obviously pained her to do so. "I was up on the Pier. But I know it's not Liam's gun."

Addressing Teddy this time, Andrews asked. "Did you see anything?"

"When I got down here Jasper was the one holding Liam at gunpoint," Teddy declared, leveling the other boy with a disgusted gaze. "Not the other way around."

"Hey, I was afraid for my life," Jasper cried in defense. "Liam already attacked me once this summer. Put me in the hospital, too, I had no idea what he was capable of."

Officer Winston closed his eyes and sighed heavily. Shaking his head, he looked to his young partner. "You're all going to have to come down to the station so we can get this straightened out."

Amid another chorus of protests and repeated accusations, Annie could only sag against the nearest wooden piling. Every ounce of adrenaline that had been coursing through her was spent, replaced by a bone deep fatigue. Overwhelmed, she didn't think she'd make it through a night of interrogation at the police station. Not without Liam there, too.

"Annie," Silver's insistent whisper cut through the haze enveloping her and she opened her eyes. "What about the recording?"

"The what?" she asked, her brain unable to connect the dots.

"The recording on your phone," she elaborated, a line of concern forming between her brows. "Did you get Jasper to confess?"

A sudden flare of hope broke through Annie's exhaustion and she looked around beneath the pier for her purse. The bag was lying innocuously by a wooden piling just a few feet away. With a burst of energy she didn't know she possessed, she scrambled for it, dropping to her knees in the sand. Silver stayed at her side, while she dug through the contents.

"It's not here," she announced frantically.

"What do you mean? Where else would it be?"

"I had it in my hand," Annie remembered and scanned the shadows for the tiny object. Silver looked as well, both girls intent on finding what had become their only leverage. Annie prayed silently as she searched. Jasper had always been one step ahead of her in this twisted game he'd forced them all to play and she was determined to win now if it killed her.

Reduced to groping blindly through the sand, her fingers finally closed around something solid and square. "Found it!"

"Oh, please tell me you got it," Silver breathed at her side. Sitting back on her heels, she repeated the mantra as Annie brushed clinging grains of sand from the cell phone. "Please let this all have been worth it."

Tapping a few buttons on the touch screen, Annie pulled open the only voice recording stored in the memory. With shaking fingers, she pushed play and within a few seconds her own voice, just slightly muffled by the way she'd been holding the phone, spilled from the hidden speaker.

"_Speaking of truth and all that. Can I ask you something?"_

"_Of course. You can always ask me anything. You know that." _

"_Right. I was just wondering…I mean, I heard this really ridiculous story about the night Liam attacked you." _

"You got it!" Silver crowed, grabbing her shoulders and shaking so hard in her enthusiasm, Annie nearly toppled over into the sand. Grinning from ear to ear, her fatigue momentarily forgotten, she advanced the recording a few minutes.

"_Jasper, what-what are you doing? Put the gun down. Please." _

"_I don't think so, Annie. See, I've given you all night to do the right thing and be honest with me, but you haven't. I didn't want to do it this way, but you gave me no other choice." _

The jubilant grin faded from Silver's face, replaced by concern. "God, Annie, you sound terrified."

"I was," she admitted, the sound of her voice triggering a total recall of every painful, horrifying moment of the evening. Carefully, she reversed the recording and got to her feet, leaving her purse and shoes where they were in the sand. "But I'm not anymore. Officers, I have something you need to hear."

Staring defiantly at Jasper, she played the most incriminating segment of the recording again, watching as her ex's face morphed from a mild interest to cold fury as his voice unmistakably threatened her life. This time she let it play a little longer, eager to hear the playback of the single confession she'd risked so much for.

"_How about you tell me what you were doing on Liam's boat the night I set it on fire?"_

As Jasper's voice echoed pure and clean in the silence under the Pier, a brilliant smile of triumph lit Annie's features. Pausing the recording, she addressed the officers. "There's more, but that should set the record straight about who brought the gun."

Officer Winston, exhibiting the first sign of emotion as he pinned Jasper in place with an intimidating gaze, spoke levelly. "You lied to me."

Breathing hard, Jasper glared at Annie for a few seconds before stubbornly tilting his chin. "I'm not saying another word without a lawyer."

"Smart move, for a dumb kid," Winston said, unclipping the cuffs from his belt and grabbing Jasper's arms to secure them behind his back. The number of uniformed cops on the scene had tripled and Winston passed the boy off to another identically clad officer after a quick recitation of his Miranda rights. "Take him down for booking. We'll collect statements from these three."

One at a time, Annie, Silver and Teddy each retold their part of the evening to the police. Annie's version, of course, took longer than the others and by the time she was finished, the horror of Liam's shooting was fresh and vivid in her mind. She realized for the first time that her hands were stained with his blood. Closing her hands into fists as if she could hide it, she looked impatiently between the officers. "That's it. That's what happened. Can I go now?"

Officer Winston nodded. "We've got your information. We'll be in touch."

"Great," Annie muttered darkly, collecting her purse and shoes. At the last minute she remembered her cell phone. "Wait, what about my phone?"

"That's evidence now, honey," Officer Andrews smiled sympathetically. Unlike her partner, she wasn't allergic to a show of human emotion. "We can't let you take it."

"Oh, right," she replied. "That-that makes sense."

"Go home and get some sleep," the rookie cop suggested. "You look like you're about to pass out."

"Yes, ma'am," Annie nodded, lying outright. Sleep, wonderful as it sounded, would never come until she knew Liam was okay. The hospital was the next place on her list. Apparently, her word was enough for Officer Andrews, and the young woman returned to her partner.

Silver was at her side in an instant, speaking low. "To the hospital?"

"You read my mind," she replied. Silver slipped an arm through hers and Annie wasn't too proud to lean on her for support as her unsteady legs navigated the shifting sand. A ribbon of sky appeared, widening with each step until the boardwalk disappeared overhead and Annie stepped out of the shadows. The sun had fully set, only the longest rays remained to guide the stars on their way out. Her already weak knees buckled and only Silver's grip on her arm kept her from collapsing.

"Whoa, hey!" Teddy murmured, suddenly on her other side, pulling her to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, maybe it's a good thing we're going to the hospital," Silver added, worry pinching her lips into a tight line.

"I-I'm fine," Annie promised, taking a deep breath. At their skeptical looks, she gently pulled free of their grasp and stood steadily on her bare feet. "Really. I'm okay. I just…for a while I wasn't sure I'd ever come out from under there. I don't think I would have without you guys. Thank you."

"Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" Silver smiled and linked arms with her again and the trio made their way to the stairs. "Saving you from psychotic exes hell bent on homicide."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Silver eyed her passenger warily as she pulled the Saturn Vue into a parking spot near the emergency room entrance. Without much protest Annie had handed over the keys and allowed Silver to drive her car to the hospital. Grateful, Silver returned the favor by not asking for the fifth time if she could take Annie home instead. Now, as her friend sat silently with her head propped against her fist, her eyelids falling shut of their own accord, Silver was second guessing her decision.

"We're here," she said with forced brightness, throwing the car into park and turning toward the other girl. Annie blinked slowly, staring through the windshield and Silver swore she could hear the cogs in her brain creak into place as she put together where they were. A line of worry appeared between her brows as she broke her word. "Annie, are you _sure_ I can't take you home? You look like you're ready to pass out."

Rather than answer, Annie offered Silver a disappointed look as she opened the door and automatically grabbed her purse. Rolling her eyes, slightly disappointed herself, but in no way surprised, Silver snatched the keys from the ignition and followed on Annie's heels as she strode purposefully through the brightly lit emergency room entrance and into mass chaos.

Every couch, chair and bench in the waiting room was occupied by bruised, battered and in some cases bloody people. A ten car pileup on the Santa Monica Freeway had deluged the ER with victims, Annie and Silver discerned from an overheard conversation between two orderlies as they escorted an elderly man with a profusely bleeding head wound to a treatment room. Human misery and pain permeated the air as Annie turned to Silver with an expression of overwhelmed helplessness. The look mirrored Silver's thoughts. They'd need a miracle to find Liam amidst this disaster.

Through the throng, Silver located the nurses' station. Grabbing Annie's hand, she maneuvered them both around the maze of people anxiously waiting for assistance. The line at the desk was three people deep and as they waited, Silver sincerely hoped Liam had arrived at the hospital before the crash.

"We're here about Liam Court," Silver announced when they'd finally made their way to the front of the queue. The harried nurse behind the desk didn't look up, didn't even appear to be listening, but she was undeterred. "He came in about half an hour ago with a gunshot wound."

Those two words elicited a reaction. The blond head lifted and a pair of warm but exhausted brown eyes met hers. The gaze traveled to Annie and widened, but the nurse addressed Silver. "What's your relationship to the patient?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your relationship," the nurse repeated. "Unless you're family, I can't give out patient information."

Annie finally came to life, gripping the edge of the desk so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Please, you don't understand. I have to see him."

"He's my brother," Silver interrupted, lying smoothly before Annie's desperate inquiries ruined their chances of sympathy. The nurse wore a badge, the name Barnes, Cecilia was printed beneath a small photo of a much happier and energetic version of herself. She guessed the nurse to be around her sister Kelly's age. "Obviously, you're busy, but could please tell me if he's okay?"

Nurse Barnes eyed Silver skeptically, but turned to a computer and tapped at a few keys. "Liam Court, you said?"

"That's right."

"He was admitted before…" Nurse Barnes trailed off as she quickly scanned the file. Shaking her head, she offered the girls an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. He was admitted shortly before the crash. I know he's been looked at, but his chart hasn't been updated."

"What does that mean?" Silver frowned.

"It means we got slammed twenty minutes ago," the nurse sighed, her patience for the two girls who weren't in need of immediate medical attention waning. She shrugged. "On a night like this, it's actually a good sign. His injury probably isn't life threatening. Now, I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but as you can see, we're swamped."

Cecilia Barnes only made it a few steps before changing her mind and turning back to the girls. Studying Annie critically, she gently inquired. "Are you okay, sweetheart? You look like you've had a rough night."

"I-I'm fine," Annie blinked, her hands self-consciously traveling to her mussed hair and bruised face. Silver lifted an eyebrow, feeling justified for her repeated insistence on taking Annie home. Although she clearly didn't believe the young girl, the nurse didn't have the luxury of time to pursue the matter further. With a brief nod, Nurse Barnes returned to her other duties, leaving Annie and Silver to wander a short distance from the nurses' station and awkwardly wait.

"Do I really look that bad?" Annie finally asked, her blood stained fingers tugging at the tangled knots of her hair.

Exhausted, both emotionally and physically, Silver opened her mouth to fire off a sarcastic quip, but instead shook her head. Leaning against the wall, she folded her arms and nodded toward Annie's hands, trying to make her voice gentle. "You've still got Liam's blood all over your hands."

Instantly, she stopped touching her hair and swallowed, curling her fingers into fists at her sides. Glancing down, she noted the ruddy brown stain along the hem of her dress. More blood. Frowning, she took a deep breath. "I'm, um…I'm gonna go…clean up."

"Good idea. I'll wait here," Silver promised. With a wry grin, she winked. "Maybe I can get that nurse to find out more about my dear, dear brother."

A ghost of a smile touched Annie's lips, the first spark of life Silver had seen since they'd left the beach. She kept smiling as her friend made her way to the ladies room and only when the door had swung shut behind her did Silver let the façade drop. Closing her eyes, she let her head fall back against the wall. For a brief moment she desperately wished Teddy had joined them rather than taking care of Liam's car. Not that there was a damn thing her boyfriend could do at the moment, but it would be nice to rely on someone else for just a minute.

With a resolved sigh, she surveyed the makeshift triage. Right now, the responsibility to be strong fell on her shoulders and for Annie she'd rise to the occasion. Liam just better make it through, she thought darkly. All bets were off if by some cruel fluke of fate he actually died.

The florescent lighting in the hospital ladies room was harsh and unforgiving as Annie methodically washed Liam's blood from her hands. The pink tinged water swirled down the drain as she struggled to remove all traces from beneath her nails and between her fingers. The front hem of her dress had dried an ugly dark brown where it had leeched blood from Liam's shirt. She didn't even remember it happening. The mirror exposed a stain on her back that she pondered for five minutes before realization dawned and she recalled the way he'd held her as he pried the gun from her shaking fingers. The dress didn't matter. She planned on burning it the first chance she got.

When the water ran clear, she carefully dried her hands and braced them on the edge of the porcelain sink. Up to that point, she'd studiously avoided looking in the mirror, afraid of what she'd see. Now, she had nothing left to distract her and the entire point of this trip to the bathroom was to make herself more presentable. Haltingly, Annie forced her gaze to the mirror and took cursory stock of her reflection before immediately closing her eyes. The girl in the glass was barely familiar. Under the too bright lighting, her hair was a dull, disheveled mess, her skin unnaturally pale for the height of summer. Dark circles stood out like bruises beneath her wide, lifeless eyes, matching the rapidly darkening places along her jaw where Jasper had gripped her so tightly. The girl in the mirror looked like she'd been to hell and still hadn't made it all the way back.

With a sigh, Annie opened her eyes and dug through her purse, still avoiding the reflective glass. She didn't _feel _like that girl, that scared, fragile, haunted waif. She didn't feel like anything at all. Locating a hairbrush, she began to work through the tangled mess on her head, outwardly wincing as the tines ripped through knots, but inwardly the pain didn't register. Maybe she was in shock. She'd heard stories, read articles about people who suffered through situations that left them so traumatized they couldn't react, couldn't feel. Pondering that for a moment, she twisted her now detangled hair into a messy bun and secured it with an elastic band.

"But I reacted," Annie murmured, turning her detached attention to the face in the mirror. Faint tracks of mascara trailed down her cheeks, evidence of the tears she remembered shedding throughout the evening. She remembered the fear and anger, even the triumph at finally entrapping Jasper in his own snare, but the memories could have belonged to another person for all they affected her. Twisting on the cold water, she splashed some on her face, rinsing away the grit that had embedded itself deeply in her skin, making it itch.

_Maybe I'm just tired, _she mused, drying her face with a handful of scratchy paper towels. Fatigue seemed to be the only thing she could feel. On the drive to the hospital, she'd nearly passed out from exhaustion. Every time she came close to slumber, however, her brain would wake her up with fresh worries about Liam. Repeatedly, she analyzed Officer Andrews' assessment of the gunshot wound. 'Not as bad as it looks' sounded reassuring, but to a police officer that could mean anything. Even in the semi-dark, the wound had seemed horrific to Annie and there had been so much blood. The nurse hadn't been any more helpful. If she could just _see _him, maybe she could convince herself everything would be okay.

Taking a deep breath, she looked in the mirror once again. With her hair under control and the smudged make up scrubbed off, she looked almost human. The rough paper towels left her cheeks slightly flushed and without the layer of dirt and sand, she actually looked more tan. Of course, since her face had come somewhat to life, the bruises along her jaw stood out more vividly. Since there wasn't a thing she could do about that, she shook her head, shouldered her purse and left the ladies room to resume her vigil with Silver.

"Feel better?" Silver asked with nervous enthusiasm that made Annie wary.

"I guess," she replied, frowning slightly.

"Good," Silver nodded, holding Annie's gaze for a moment before her shoulders slumped and she closed her eyes. "Because your mom is probably on her way here right now."

Annie gaped. "My mom?"

"Yeah," Silver swallowed and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Avoiding eye contact, she explained. "She called my cell, freaking out because she couldn't get a hold of you and apparently, you missed your curfew. So…I may have told her the cliffs notes version of what happened in a totally best of intentions effort to keep you from being grounded again."

"Fantastic," she sighed, letting her purse fall to the ground by her feet and holding her suddenly aching head in both hands. "That's just fantastic."

"I know," Silver sagged, turning toward Annie with her shoulder still pressed into the wall. "I know, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Annie shook her head and gestured to the bruises forming on her face. "She would have found out anyway."

Silver bit her lip. "What do you think she's gonna say?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly. If Debbie took the time to actually listen to what had happened, Annie figured she had a chance at convincing her that being grounded until college wasn't the answer. Faced with all the facts, however, she feared her mom would only focus on yet another brush with the law or that she hadn't been completely honest about her plans for the evening. Then again, how could she have known that her night at the Pier with Silver would turn into the freaking shoot out at the O.K. Chorale? "One thing I do know, I will not be grounded again and miss any more time with Liam. No matter what Warden Wilson says."

"I wonder if his step dad is still going to send him away," Silver voiced aloud the question that had been on Annie's mind since the moment Jasper was shackled in handcuffs.

"If the recording gets the charges dropped…maybe," Annie shrugged, a faint flicker of hope burned so brightly her heart actually hurt. She couldn't contemplate a future with Liam in Beverly Hills right now, not if it was just going to be snatched away. Honestly, at the moment she couldn't contemplate a future beyond this hospital waiting room. For the second time in as many minutes she admitted her ignorance. "I just don't know."

"Oh, well…I guess we can just…ask," Silver said in surprise. She pointed toward the emergency room entrance. Annie followed her gaze, her stomach twisting as Jeffery Sarkosian barged through the double doors, remembering at the last second to catch the door before it swung back in Colleen's face, just a few steps behind him.

Silver and Annie remained motionless in their corner of the waiting room as the Sarkosian's made their way to the nurses' station. Clearly annoyed, Jeffery brusquely introduced himself and demanded information on Liam's condition. A tearful Colleen leaned heavily on his arm.

"You should go talk to them," Silver whispered, nudging Annie with an elbow.

"What? I've never met his parents," Annie protested.

"You're dating their son."

"Yeah, but…technically…it's been like three days. Does that even count?" she stammered, the idea of approaching Liam's parents a daunting and unexpected task her semi-functioning brain wasn't prepared to deal with.

"You were with him when it happened, I'm sure they'd want to talk to you," she insisted.

"You were there, too," Annie gestured toward the couple. "Why don't you go talk to them?"

"Annie -."

"I can't talk to his step dad, Siver," she interrupted. What was left of her frayed nerves screamed in protest at the very idea of addressing the man that despite her best efforts, she'd come to detest. "I just can't. Not tonight. I'll end up saying something horrible."

Folding her arms against the air conditioning's chilling effects on her bare skin, Annie glanced toward the duo at the desk. This time, her attention focused on Colleen, her tears momentarily halted as she visibly flinched from whatever abuse Jeffery was leveling at the unlucky nurse behind the desk. Truthfully, Liam's mother wasn't her favorite person either. Annie didn't understand how the woman could allow her husband to treat her son the way he did. But where Jeffery seemed annoyed at the inconvenience of Liam being shot, Colleen looked terrified and pained. Squaring her shoulders, she took a deep breath. "I'll talk to his mom. Um, Mrs. Sarkosian?"

The pretty brunette turned at the sound of her name, her red-rimmed eyes alighting on the two girls. Hesitantly, she stepped away from her husband and cautiously moved closer. "Yes?"

Painfully aware of the blood stains on her dress and the bruises marring her features, she offered a small smile. "Hi, my name's Annie Wilson. I was with Liam."

"Oh my god," Colleen breathed, a trembling hand coming to her mouth. "Wh-what happened? We got a phone call saying he'd been shot? I-."

"What'd he do?" Jeffery Sarkosian demanded gruffly, his mouth a tight line of frustration. Annie bristled at the man condemning Liam without even asking for facts. A hundred different snide remarks danced on the tip of her tongue and on any other day that's as far as they would go. In light of what had happened to her that evening, however, it took every ounce of strength and decorum she had left to reply civilly.

"He saved my life," she declared, lifting her chin and staring down the older man until he shook his head and turned back to the nurse at the desk. Liam's mother, however, had no interest in wringing information out of the overworked staff.

"Please, Annie," she begged softly, the barest hint of a tremor in her voice. "What happened?"

For the second time that evening, Annie took a deep breath and plunged into her story. Having no idea how much Liam had told his mother about Jasper and unsure herself where to start, she relayed it all without emotion. From the stalking to the night of the fire and Liam's arrest to her plan for setting the record straight, Annie filled Colleen in on every twist and turn, emphasizing the fact that Liam had tried to talk her out of it. Pressing her fingers to her temples where the aching in her head was just growing worse, she concluded. "The only reason Liam's in the hospital right now is because I didn't listen to him."

"I-I'm sure that's not true," Colleen replied after a long moment of stunned silence. "From everything you just told me it sounds like this Jasper is the one to blame."

Colleen's compassion forced the tears she'd been holding at bay to burn at her eyes. Blinking them away, she tried to keep her voice steady. "That's very…very nice of you to say.

"Colleen," Jeffrey beckoned his wife back to his side where a doctor in surgical scrubs was waiting to speak to both of them. Annie's heart leapt to her throat. A quick glance at Silver and both girls moved closer, making no secret their desire to overhear.

"The damage is relatively minor," the doctor stated, pushing dark rimmed glasses up his nose to massage the bridge. "Because of the angle of entry, it's essentially a very nasty flesh wound compounded by powder burns from the proximity at which the gun was fired."

"When can we take Liam home?" Colleen demanded, the normally dormant mother lion within rising up to protect her cub.

"He lost a lot of blood, so we'd like to keep him here until morning," the doctor explained. "Barring any further complications, he can go home then."

"I want to see him," Colleen insisted. The doctor tipped his head, gesturing for them to follow as he wove his way through the remaining victims of the freeway crash. Annie watched them disappear, her heart pounding. Suddenly, she felt lightheaded and she leaned on the nurses' station to keep from collapsing to the floor.

"He's gonna be okay," she breathed, covering her face with shaking hands. The phantom fist around her heart loosened its grip and two tears escaped, sliding in twin lines down her cheek. Baring actually seeing Liam, the assurance from the doctor was the best news she could receive.

"I'm calling Teddy," Silver announced, squeezing Annie's shoulder reassuringly. Then the grip changed, became a warning. "Oh…crap."

Annie straightened instantly, still in flight or fight mode, and took in Silver's wary expression as she dropped her cell. Pointing over Annie's shoulder she sighed. "Debbie Wilson, incoming at ten o'clock."

Annie turned, her stomach dropping to the white speckled linoleum at her feet as her mother breezed through the emergency room entrance. Although an entire waiting area separated them, the second Debbie spotted her, Annie swore the temperature fell ten degrees. Briefly she closed her eyes, and tried to rally what little calm she had left. Silver leaned in and whispered. "I already told her you were okay."

"Great. That means we get to skip the part where she's worried and jump right to the 'you're in so much trouble' phase," Annie sighed. Belatedly, she wished she'd at least attempted to cover up the bruises along her jaw. She knew the instant her mother spotted the blood on her dress. Debbie's purposeful gate faltered slightly and the grim set of her jaw softened in surprise. Intercepting her, Annie ushered everybody to the corner where she and Silver had been waiting. "Hi, mom. Silver, um, said you'd be coming."

"Silver also said you were okay," Debbie replied, unable to tear her gaze away from the stains on Annie's dress.

"I am. It's not my blood," she promised. For a split second, she remembered the night at the police station when Liam had offered her those very same words. During that infinitesimal space of time, she nearly lost it. The numbness that had protected her since leaving the beach threatened to crash down around her at the memory of Liam's voice echoing in her head. Gritting her teeth, she offered another reassurance. "I'm fine."

"Good," Debbie said, indignation returning as she crossed her arms. She lifted an eyebrow and looked at both girls. "Now, would you like to tell me just exactly what happened tonight?"

"I…," she tried to begin the story again, for the third time, but the words wouldn't come without a flood of tears and possibly hysterics that she couldn't afford to indulge. Swallowing the sudden nausea brought on by her ever more intense headache, she shook her head. "Please, mom. Can we talk about this later? We just found out Liam would be okay and I'd really like to see him."

"Oh, no, Annie," Debbie smiled in that condescending way parents have when their children suggest something utterly absurd. "You won't be seeing Liam. Not tonight. Not for a long time."

Horror momentarily superseded everything else. "Mom! No! You can't do that."

"Oh, yes I can," Debbie insisted, her voice rising, heedless of Silver or anybody else who happened to be listening. Lines of strain around her mother's eyes and mouth that hadn't been there a few months ago stood out in sharp relief under the unnatural lighting. "Annie, you haven't even been ungrounded a week and you're breaking curfew and…and getting involved in fights where people end up shot. I think the last thing you need is to spend more time with Liam Court."

"No. No, that's not fair," she argued, the injustice of it all the only thing keeping tears from falling. She'd expected Jeffery to blame this all on his step son, but her mother, too? "Liam…Liam saved me. He-he didn't cause this. I did. It was my fault."

As if suddenly aware of the curious eyes staring at them, Debbie held up a hand and lowered her voice significantly. "I don't think this is the place to be having this discussion. Let's go. We can talk about this in the morning."

"I need to know he's okay, please," Annie begged, grabbing her mother's arm.

"Annie, no," Debbie declared, using her best parental tone and leaving no room for argument. "I understand that he's important to you, but-."

Jeffery Sarkosian strolled through the ER hallway, reentering the waiting area with his cell phone glued to his ear. Debbie, recognizing him instantly, trailed off in surprise. Annie's gaze skipped from Jeffery to her mother and back again, noting the distinct change in her mother's demeanor. She looked…pleasantly surprised. Disgust hit her swiftly. Lifting an eyebrow, she let Debbie stare, counting the seconds until she could stand it no longer.

"But what, mom?" she asked curtly.

Debbie blinked and stammered a bit. "But…I'm sure Liam's parents are here. There's nothing you can do can do for him right now."

Annie gave the bewildered Silver a sardonic smile. "Oh, they are. In fact, that's his step dad right over there. His name is…well, what am I thinking? You already know his name."

"Jeffery is Liam's step father?" Debbie repeated, eyes wide, gesturing toward the oblivious man.

"Mmm-hmm," Annie nodded, her lips set in a tight smile that made her jaw hurt. "His mom - you know, Jeffery's _wife - _is probably still with him. Out of earshot. Why don't you go over and finish whatever fascinating conversation you were having with him at the courthouse?"

Debbie blushed furiously beneath her tan. "Annie-"

"Is this how it's gonna be?" she asked, setting aside her concern for Liam for just a moment in favor of addressing the shambles of her parents' marriage. When her father had moved out, she made a choice and put all her energy into Liam and solving the Jasper problem. Now, tonight, the two divided halves of her life were merging, becoming a single whole. With everything she'd been through, she lacked the skills to deal with it gracefully. "Dixon and I have to watch you get hit on by married men while you enjoy it and don't care about the _other _marriage you're helping to ruin?"

Debbie's eyes glittered with anger as she regarded her daughter. Annie knew she'd gone too far, but her nerves were too shot to feel any remorse. "I am going to the car. You will meet there in no more than five minutes. Do you understand?"

Annie remained silent, watching her mother walk away with a face devoid of expression. When the automatic emergency room doors slid shut behind her, however, the dam broke. The stoic mask crumpled as she dropped her face to her hands. Hot tears scalded her cheeks, spilling from her eyes in a torrent. Just as her knees started to weaken and she feared she might collapse, Silver's arms were around her.

"It's okay," she murmured.

"I don't know why I said those things," Annie confessed, ashamed at the potshots she'd taken at her mother even though the hurt and anger of that day at the courthouse were as fresh in her mind right then as the injustice of her not being able to stay to see Liam.

"Uh, because you've had the worst day in the history of ever," Silver replied, her arms tightening around her for a moment before pulling back slightly to catch Annie's eye. "You're entitled to lose it a little bit. In fact, as horribly awkward as that whole conversation was, I'm glad you finally stopped acting like a pod person."

Silver's usual off kilter honesty helped stem the tide of tears as abruptly as it started. For the moment the crack in the dam was stopped. Sniffing, Annie brushed the moisture from her cheeks, trying not to wince when she came in contact with the sensitive bruised skin. "I just…I couldn't take the idea of not seeing Liam again. That can't happen, Silver. I don't know what I'll do if-."

"Shhh," Silver put a finger to her lips and then gripped Annie's shoulders. "Listen to me. You need to play this the right way. As a child of divorce, I know how it works."

"Okay. What do I do?"

"Go with your mom now," Silver suggested and plunged ahead before Annie could protest. "I won't leave until I see Liam and let him know you were here. Trust me, Annie, you need to pick your battles. This is the better move if you don't want to end up grounded again. I will call you as soon as I can."

Despite how badly she needed to see Liam, Annie was wooed by thoughts of a hot shower and her own bed. Now that she'd shed a few tears, she could feel the weight of the evening pressing down on her and she did not want to break down in front of Liam. Not this time.

Wrapping her arms around Silver once more, she whispered. "Thank you." Squeezing the other girl briefly, she pulled away and offered a watery smile. The straps of her sandals bit into her feet, the heels clicked conspicuously as she crossed the hard floor. Debbie's SUV idled outside the emergency room entrance. Staring directly out the window, both hands clenched on the wheel, her mother didn't even glance her way as she opened the door and climbed in. Every part of her felt a traitor as she secured the seatbelt and Debbie shifted the car into drive, putting more distance between her and Liam, but Silver was right. She needed to forfeit this battle to win the war.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Silver was growing exceedingly tired of hospitals. The emergency room waiting area had cleared enough for her to claim a seat and while the molded blue plastic was far more comfortable than the floor, she still wanted nothing more than to go home. Propping her elbow on the armrest, she glanced at the institutional wall clock. Half an hour ago, she'd called Teddy and he promised to be there by 11:30. He was late. Then again, Liam's parents were presumably still camped out in his room and Silver wasn't about to go back on her promise to Annie. Teddy could take all the time in the world, she wasn't going anywhere just yet.

Fidgeting, she pulled her legs to her chest, braced her feet on the edge of the seat and rested her chin on her knees. What would she even say to Liam when she saw him? Letting him bleed all over one of her favorite Stella McCartney vests wasn't exactly an apology for all the stupid things she'd ranted during their fight. With a sigh, she shifted and dropped her forehead to her knees. Someday she really needed to start thinking before she blurted out whatever was on her mind.

"Hey, Silver," Teddy's welcome voice brought a smile to her face before she even lifted her head. He slid into the seat beside her, his arm draped over the back of her chair.

"You're late," she teased, still smiling as she leaned into him, pressing her cheek into the soft cotton of his blue polo.

"Yeah, I know, I'm sorry," he replied, tightening his arm around her shoulder. "Don't tell Liam, but uh, manual is not strong suit."

Giggles born of stress and exhaustion escaped her lips. "Oh, no. What did you do to his car?"

"His car is fine," Teddy insisted defensively. "I just…may have stalled it out a couple of times."

"It better be. I have reached my quota of hospital time for the year, so if Liam has to kick your ass for messing up his stupid car, you're on your own," she warned in an attempt to hang on to the levity of the moment by making light of Liam's well known obsession. Teddy, however, had other ideas.

"How is Liam?" he asked and quickly scanned the waiting area. "Is Annie with him?"

"Um, no, Annie's mom took her home," Silver explained. Teddy lifted his brow in surprise and she slouched against the uncomfortable plastic chair. "It's…a messy story that really isn't important. What's matters is that Liam's gonna be okay. The wound was actually pretty minor, I guess and as long as there are no other complications he can go home in the morning."

Teddy expelled a huge breath, relief evident in every line of his body. "That's awesome."

"Very," she nodded, smiling again.

"Can we see him?"

Silver rolled her eyes and tipped her chin toward the nurses' station. "They're only letting family back there."

"Oh," he replied, much more accepting of this fact at she and Annie had been. "Do you…wanna get out of here then?"

"No, I'm waiting to go back and see him."

Teddy narrowed his eyes and looked at her quizzically. "Silver, you just said…"

"Right. Only family," she nodded and pointed toward the blond Nurse Barnes who was escorting Liam's parents back to the waiting area. "But as far as Blondie over there knows, I'm Liam's sister."

Teddy scoffed, wearing a grin a mile wide. "Of course you are. How come you never told me?"

"Well, family relationships can be so messy," Silver quipped as she waved her hand dismissively. "Really, I'm only his step sister. Dear old dad just broke mom's heart when he shacked up with Liam's mom. I was bitter at first, but live and let live, right? Who wants to be angry all the time, especially since there's really no escaping him what with both of us attending West Bev."

"That's very mature of you," Teddy nodded gravely.

"I know, right?" Silver grinned, weaving the story as she went along, her attention focused on Colleen as she thanked Nurse Barnes and whispered a few words to Jeffery, who was already back on his phone. As soon as the older woman ducked into the ladies room, Silver was on her feet. "Keep an eye out for his mom. If she comes out before I'm back, distract her."

"What about his step dad?"

Silver spent a few precious seconds observing Jeffery Sarkosian. The man exuded a cold aura of business and professionalism. Where Colleen looked like she was barely holding it together in the face of her son's brush with death, Jeffery's appearance was immaculate, his suit still freshly pressed, tie straight. The call seemed to be going well as he smiled with charm and ease. Silver stifled the urge to punch him in the face.

"I don't think we'll have to worry about him," she murmured. Honestly, if Jeffery went back to see Liam without Colleen dragging him, Silver would have fallen over in shock. Quickly, she scanned the waiting area. Nurse Barnes had her nose buried in a file, her back to the hallway Silver needed to take. Consumed with their own troubles, the other patients weren't paying her the slightest attention. The timing was perfect.

"I'll be right back," she whispered to Teddy over her shoulder and strode purposefully across the lobby, past the nurses' station and took a left. Despite her racing heart, she kept her chin up, her gait steady and traversed the ER hallway as if she knew exactly what she was doing and where she was going. Only when she passed the active rooms where doctors and nurses were still working on the last of the freeway crash victims and found herself in a quiet, empty hallway did she realize she had no idea even where to begin looking for Liam.

"Damn," she sighed, chewing on her lip as she wavered on how to proceed. Liam had to be there somewhere. Colleen and Jeffery wouldn't have gone back to the ER waiting area if he'd been moved to a room elsewhere, right? Pondering the what ifs, she carefully began to work her way down the hallway, glancing through each open door as she walked by. Striking out on the first three rooms, she got lucky with the fourth.

Through the half open door, she spotted Liam propped up against stark white pillows, his eyes closed. Hesitant, she glanced both ways down the hall and then silently slipped into the room. Liam didn't stir, clearly asleep as the soft, steady beat of a heart monitor exhibited the only sign of life. Feeling a little like a voyeur, Silver watched the steady rise and fall of his chest. Her gaze traveled upward, noting the bruise forming along his right cheekbone. She couldn't tell if it was a sign of his condition or the horrible fluorescent lighting, but he looked nearly as pale as the sheets. Annie would be heartbroken if Silver had nothing more to report than a quick glimpse of Liam while he slept, but she couldn't bring herself to wake him – and not just because medically he needed the rest. She still had no idea how to make up for the horrible things she'd said to him. She'd never been good at admitting when she was wrong and yet she hated hypocrites. Tonight, in her need to cast off the crushing blame for her part in what happened the past year, Silver had been both and she owed Liam a huge apology whether she liked it or not.

Hovering a few moments longer, she wrestled with indecision before finally turning back toward the hallway. Slightly relieved, she decide the apology would have to wait. Annie might be disappointed, but she'd understand, probably even be glad she left Liam alone to recover. Silver braced her hand on the doorframe to slip back through without disturbing anything when a rough, but familiar voice stopped her.

"Hey."

Silver cringed and bit her lip, her stomach twisted in knots as she tried to steal herself for the apology all over again. Turning around she noted that Liam hadn't moved at all, but his eyes were open, gazing at her steadily. The paranoid part of her would have said warily. Unable to help it, she smiled far too brightly. "Hi. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I just, um…So, how are you? Nevermind, that's a stupid question. Obviously. You've been shot, you're probably in a lot of pain and I'm sure I'm just making it worse…I'll go now. Sorry."

"Silver. Stop," Liam ordered, preventing her from spinning on her heels and making a hasty escape. Clearly amused, he raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm alright. Painkillers are a beautiful thing. Especially when you're actually in pain."

Nerves slightly assuaged, Silver managed a small, sheepish smile as she teased. "You would know, right?" tucking her hair behind her ear, she inched forward to stand at the foot of the bed. "How are you, really? I mean, I heard what the doctor said, about-about the wound being minor, but…God, Liam there was so much blood."

"Yeah, I'm sorry I ruined your shirt," he teased, his words coming a little slower than normal, the tone ragged.

She rolled her eyes and promised dryly. "I'll live. Come on, seriously."

"I'm really okay. I mean, I might not be saying that if I wasn't pumped full of drugs, but…" Liam offered her a pretty decent facsimile of that cocky smirk he was known for and she was convinced. Dropping his gaze, the smile fading only slightly, he asked. "How's Annie?"

"Physically? She's fine," Silver assured him, moving closer to the chair pulled up to the side of his bed. She gestured to the purplish mark on his face. "The two of you are going to have matching bruises for awhile, but otherwise she's fine. She would have been here, but uh…well, Debbie arrived. I guess Annie broke her curfew and when Debbie couldn't get a hold of her, she called me and…I wasn't really thinking clearly."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they wouldn't tell us anything and we were kind of freaked. I even pretended I was your sister, but that didn't fly," she huffed.

"My sister?" he repeated, trying not to guffaw.

"Step sister, technically, but…that's not the point. Stop distracting me."

"I'm so sorry," he replied, fighting a grin.

In as few words as possible, Silver explained what had happened when Debbie arrived. Taking a seat in the chair, she curled her legs beneath her. "Debbie made Annie go home with her."

"What'd they fight about?" he asked without a hint of a smile now.

"You," she answered honestly, deciding Liam wouldn't appreciate it if she tried to dress up the truth. Then she frowned. "And for some reason your step dad?"

"Don't ask," Liam groaned, dragging a hand over his face. "How much trouble is Annie in?"

"Honestly, I don't know. Debbie was pretty pissed when she got here."

"This wasn't Annie's fault," he said vehemently, his right hand clenching to a fist on the bed beside him. "None of it."

"I know, but…hopefully when they both calm down, Annie can explain what happened," Silver offered, unsure whether or not she believed it. "But you don't have to worry. Annie swore she wouldn't lose any more time with you. Even if she does end up grounded again."

Immobile and in pain no matter what he claimed to the contrary, Liam visibly wrestled with the promise Silver had just made him. Finally, he spoke, his jaw clenched so tight she cold see the muscle twitch. "I would never ask her to do that. I don't want her to get in any more trouble because of me."

The selfless vow sucker punched Silver directly in the gut, reminding her of every accusation she'd thrown at him mere hours ago. Shame overwhelmed her as she noted all the ways Liam had proved her wrong. Fidgeting, she crossed her legs like a child and propped both her elbows on her knees. Resting her head in her hand, she looked at him and sighed, her wide blue eyes a virtual window to her misery. "I know. Liam, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Everything I said on the Pier," Silver revealed with chagrin. "I was…upset and scared and you were yelling at me because you were upset and scared and I reacted like a two year old. I didn't mean it. Any of it."

Liam regarded her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Blinking slowly, he draped his arm loosely over his torso and shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her gaze. "It was true, though. If I'd just told Naomi the truth instead of letting her think I slept with Annie none of this would have happened."

"Maybe," she admitted, her mind sifting through the events of the past year. "But maybe if I had been a better friend instead of just staying out of Hurricane Naomi's path, Annie wouldn't have turned to Jasper. Or maybe if Annie hadn't gotten wasted and then climbed behind the wheel of her car, she wouldn't have been targeted by the psychopath. Hell, maybe…maybe if Jen wasn't such a raging bitch she wouldn't have used you to hurt her sister."

Liam narrowed his eyes. "I like that one. That's good."

"Yeah, me too. Let's go with that. Jen's the devil," Silver agreed with a vigorous nod, taken aback for a moment at the truth of that assessment. They'd all made their own choices, but would they even have considered the options if Jen hadn't set the ball rolling? She shook her head. "But look, the other stuff I said about you using Annie…I know that's not true. I may have had my doubts, but I was wrong and I'm sorry. I mean, you took a bullet for her. If that doesn't say you're committed, what does?"

"Yeah, maybe I should have gotten shot sooner."

"Liam!"

"I'm kidding," he insisted with another lazy grin. Then he dropped his gaze, unable to look her in the eye. "And…I'm sorry, too. You were right. I was…scared."

"You certainly didn't show it the way you rushed under the Pier."

"No, I wasn't scared for me," Liam shook his head, a deep line appearing between his brows as he continued to studiously avoid making eye contact. "If anything had happened to Annie…if Jasper had hurt her or worse, I…I honestly don't know what I would have done."

Silver felt her jaw literally drop at Liam's unexpected confession. Up to this point, they'd only been in the same chapter of the conversation, but now they were finally on the same page. Eyes wide, she stared as he picked at the tape keeping the IV on his hand in place. Oh, this was big. So much bigger than she'd ever imagined. Once again, without thinking, she blurted out exactly what was on her mind. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

For a moment the silence was so heavy, Silver swore even the heart machine quit beeping. Liam's fidgeting stilled instantly, the only sign of movement the bobbing of his Adam's apple when he swallowed. Closing her eyes, Silver wished yet again that she would learn to think before speaking. Twice in one day she made an idiot of herself around Liam. Maybe she just needed to avoid being in the same room with him and she could cure her foot in mouth disease. "Ugh. I'm sorry. That's none of my business."

"Yes," he said quietly.

Silver frowned. "Yes, you're in love with Annie or yes, it's none of my business."

"Silver. Seriously?" he demanded, finally looking at her, one eyebrow raised.

"What?" she cried, holding up her hands. "Talking to you is like speaking another language sometimes. I don't know how Annie does it."

"You want me to write it down for you?" he asked dryly.

"Maybe."

"Fine," he sighed and stared at the ceiling. If Silver hadn't been sure Liam Court was above the whole concept of embarrassment, she would have sworn his cheeks turned faintly pink. "Yes, Silver…I love with Annie."

"You love her or you're _in _love with her?" she asked, digging for further clarification.

"I swear to god, Silver-."

"Kidding! I'm kidding, I promise," she grinned, holding up her hands.

"I'm going to regret this whole conversation when the pain killers wear off," he muttered, his cheeks definitely turning pink with an unmistakable blush.

"I take it you haven't told Annie?" When he shook his head, she pressed for more. "Why?"

For a long moment, he hesitated, his eyes downcast and troubled. When he answered, she was sure he avoided the whole truth, but she didn't push. "I don't think I realized it until tonight."

"Well, your secret is safe with me," she promised hoping she sounded as sincere as she intended. Silver had seen enough in her seventeen years to know that love didn't always conquer all, but despite everything she'd been through she was still foolish - or brave - enough to hope. If a guy like Liam, painkillers or not, was willing to say he loved someone, he meant it. So, in that moment, she picked her side. "And for what it's worth, I really hope you tell Annie. Because I'm pretty sure you don't have to worry about her response."

Liam nodded in barely perceptible acknowledgement and Silver took it as her cue to leave. Unfolding herself from the chair, she said her goodbyes and was halfway to the door before her glaring omission hit her. Whirling around, she gripped the edge of the bed, blue eyes wide. "Oh my god, I'm an idiot. I totally forgot. It worked."

Liam frowned. "What worked?"

"The plan! Annie's plan to get Jasper to confess," she exclaimed, talking with her hands as she usually did when she got excited. "It's all on tape. The part about the fire, the gun - he tried to say it was yours, by the way -

"Wait, what?" he protested. Incredulous, he actually tried to sit up and immediately grimaced in pain. "He said the gun was mine?"

Silver continued on, heedless of his interruption. "The fact that he's completely bat-shit crazy…it's all there. Annie did it. Jasper got arrested."

"You've…got to be kidding me," he swore after taking a few moments of silence to let the news penetrate. Wrapping an arm loosely around his torso, he carefully sat a little straighter and leaned toward Silver. "You're sure. She got the whole thing?"

"Oh yeah," she nodded vigorously. "I heard it myself."

Liam shook his head in disbelief, an awed grin playing over his features. "I don't believe it. Wow."

"I know, right?" Silver grinned as well. Now that she had seen with her own eyes that Liam would be okay, the true thrill of success thrummed through her veins like an adrenaline rush. Only one thing put a damper on the high. "There's just one problem. The cops confiscated Annie's cell phone. It's evidence now."

"Then I need you to tell her something for me."

"That's kind of my mission."

"Tell her…tell her I'm okay. Make her believe it," he said at once, then paused for a few moments weighing his words carefully. "And tell her thank you. She's amazing."

Silver lifted a brow. "Are you sure that's _all _you want me to tell her?"

"Get out of here," he ordered, rolling his eyes.

"You would throw your own sister out?" she shook her head in mock dismay and then winked. "I'm out. Just promise you'll get some sleep so you can actually get out of here in the morning, okay?"

After he offered his assurance to follow her advice, Silver poked her head back into the hallway. Seeing that the coast was clear, she darted back down the silent tunnel and managed to make it all the way back to the waiting area without incident. Teddy was near the nurses' station, chatting away to Liam's mother who seemed to be doing her best just to keep her eyes open. Silver caught his gaze and nodded toward the exit purposefully. Snatching her purse off the chair, she strode toward the doors hoping her boyfriend would be right behind her. A few moments after she exited into the surprisingly cool night air, Teddy followed.

"That took you long enough," he admonished, placing a hand on her back as he guided her through the parking area to his car. "How's Liam?"

"He's good, actually. Aside from the whole bullet wound thing," Silver quipped, sliding into the passenger side of Teddy's Mercedes with an enormous sigh of relief. Exhaustion hit her quickly and by the time they pulled out of the parking lot, she was struggling to keep her eyes open, but she still had one more thing to take care of before surrendering to sweet slumber.

With trepidation, Silver scrolled through the numbers on her phone and called Annie's house, saying a little prayer that Debbie wouldn't answer, although she knew it was a lost cause. Bracing herself for a conversation with a very pissed off Mrs. Wilson, she bit her lip and turned to her boyfriend. "Wish me luck."

Annie and Debbie rode in silence the entire way from the hospital to the house, all in all a half hour drive filled with more tension than Annie remembered even during the trip she took with her parents to the police station at the beginning of summer. More than anything, she wanted to fall asleep, but instead she wracked her brain trying to figure out how to explain what had happened that night in a way that wouldn't end with her being grounded again. Already, being separated from Liam was making her stomach roll with anxiety so intense she thought she might be sick. She wanted to chalk it up to uncertainty about his wellbeing, but the doctor's promise of a minor injury and fast recovery had assuaged those fears. Deep down, she knew the blame lay in the fear that life had thrown yet another roadblock between them, this time in the form of her mother's wrath.

Wordlessly, Debbie pulled the SUV into the driveway and flipped off the engine. Annie hesitated for a moment, wondering if this was the moment when the yelling would begin, but her mother calmly pulled the key from the ignition and exited the vehicle. By the time Annie slid from the car and stumbled after her, Debbie was letting herself into the front door. Finally deciding the lecture must be on hold until morning, she climbed the stairs to the second level, bypassed her room and headed straight for the bathroom.

Closing the door behind her, Annie immediately began to tremble and the tears she'd barely been holding at bay threatened to break through the dam. With cold efficiency, she twisted the hot water knob in the shower all the way on and tossed her purse to the floor. Once again, avoiding her reflection, she stripped down to nothing, stuffing all her clothes into the tiny wastebasket by the door. No matter how hard she tried, her eyes gravitated toward the bloodstains as she mechanically tested the water and stepped into the shower.

Steam billowed around her, the temperature close to scalding, but she barely noticed as the trembling turned to shaking. For a long time she simply stood under the spray, watching sand and grit swirl down the drain at her feet. Somewhere on her body or in her hair she'd managed to collect more of Liam's blood because the water turned briefly pink before running clear. Slowly, she realized there was nothing left for her to hold together and she waited for the tears.

They refused to come.

After twenty minutes, she methodically shampooed and conditioned her hair, then scrubbed her skin raw, absently noting the numerous bruises on her arms and legs. Her back stung when the water hit it and she wondered if there were bruises there as well, or if maybe she'd scratched it when Jasper had shoved her against the wooden pillar.

Annie stayed in the shower until the water ran cold and her skin had morphed from an alarming pink to nearly blue. Her teeth chattered and her hands still shook as she twisted the water off and stepped out, immediately rubbing the terry cloth over her skin in firm, harsh strokes coaxing it back to pink and making the purplish bruises stand out like tattoos.

In a daze, she stumbled to her bedroom, shutting the door and letting the towels drop haphazardly to the floor. Pulling on a fresh pair of pajamas, Annie bent to move a pile of clothes off the chair to her vanity when something made her pause. Folded neatly beneath her jeans and t-shirts was a dark green sweatshirt several sizes too big for her. She stared blankly for a moment, then a choked sob of recognition escaped her lips as her brain kicked back into gear. Liam's sweatshirt. From that first night he'd snuck over and visited her. The first night he'd kissed her. Slowly, almost reverently, she slipped her arms through the sleeves and pulled it over her head. She covered her face with her hands and taking a deep breath, let herself drown in the scent of him. The lingering traces of his cologne caused further damage to the rickety walls keeping a complete meltdown at bay.

A sharp knock at her door had her looking up to see Debbie's neutral countenance hovering on the threshold. Holding out the house phone she simply said. "Phone call for you."

Standing proved a challenge and she wobbled a bit, bracing her hand on a chair for balance, then walked calmly across the carpeted floor. She hadn't even heard the phone ring. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Silver's tired but utterly normal and familiar voice continued the assault on Annie's defenses. Without any preamble, her friend plunged into the details of her solo hospital adventure. "I saw Liam. He wanted me to tell that he's okay and you have to believe me. And also, thank you."

"For what?" she asked, surprised that her own voice sounded so normal.

"Um, hello? For the plan. For making it work and getting Jasper's confession," she replied. As if sensing Annie's detachment she continued in a gentler tone. "He also wanted me to tell you that you're amazing. I think he misses you."

"I miss him," she replied, blinking away tears that had squeezed through.

"Is your mom still there?"

"Yeah."

"Then I'll let you go," Silver said. "But I'm going to give you the same order I gave Liam. Sleep. Or else. Promise?"

"I promise," Annie nodded, even though the gesture was useless and wiped further tears from her eyes. Silver said a quick good bye and gave a vow to call tomorrow before breaking the connection. Annie held the phone for a few more seconds before handing it over to a stoic Debbie. Lost in her own thoughts, she turned and plodded to her bed, collapsing on the edge of it. Liam was okay. Silver had talked to him and he was going to be okay. He thought she was amazing.

"Is Liam going to be okay?" Debbie asked, almost echoing the mantra running through Annie's head. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out, so she nodded. Her mother offered something resembling a smile. "That's good. I'm very glad to hear that. I'll let you sleep. We can talk in the morning."

"Mom, wait. Please, I-," Annie stopped, her words broken as tears fell faster. The dam crumbled in a sudden avalanche and she curled into a ball as sobs wracked her body. She didn't see Debbie's face crumple into sorrow and concern or the way her mother rushed across the room, but she did feel the familiar arms wrap around her shoulders and pull her close, rocking and murmuring words of comfort.

Annie had no idea how long she cried as her body released all the night's tension and stress. Fear she had somehow managed to reign in, escaped and raced like fire through her nerves. Fear for Silver and Teddy, for Liam and herself, over what could have happened - what almost did happen - at the Pier. For months she'd been believing the necessary lie that Jasper wouldn't hurt her, that his obsession meant she was safe, but deep down she'd known otherwise. That was why, as scared as she had been, she hadn't been surprised when he pulled the gun on her and started his insane rant.

The sobs shook her harder as thoughts of what could have happened had Liam not arrived when he did, came unbidden to her brain. She clutched blindly at Debbie's arms, relying completely on them to ground her to reality. If she had nothing to hang on to, she might just wash away with her tears and evaporate into nothing.

"Annie, sweetie, it's okay," Debbie murmured, pressing a kiss to her damp hair. "Liam's going to be alright. That was Silver, right? She wouldn't lie to you."

Annie tried to respond in the affirmative, but all that came out was another strangled sob. Debbie gave up further questions, merely holding her daughter until at long last the convulsions wracking her small body subsided, while the tears slowed and eventually stopped. For a long time mother and daughter simply rocked in silence. Finally, Annie's hysterics were reduced to shuddering breaths as she struggled to regain something resembling composure. Pulling away from her mother and sitting up, she blinked puffy eyes as Debbie smoothed damp hair off her face.

"Feel better?" she asked with a familiar motherly smile that belied their earlier argument.

"Yeah, actually," Annie nodded and used the extra long sleeves of Liam's sweatshirt to wipe tears from her cheeks. Unfortunately, they were already soaked. Clearly, she'd be washing this before she gave it back to him. The crying jag had knocked all the cobwebs loose and she was able to think straight again. Immediately, she apologized. "Mom, I'm so sorry."

"From what I've gathered about your night, you were due a few tears."

Annie managed a shaky laugh. "Thanks, but that's not what I meant. I'm sorry about what I said at the hospital about Liam's step dad. I'm sorry about making you worry and getting in trouble again, but I swear I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I never thought Liam would…that Jasper would actually…"

"What did happen tonight, Annie?" Debbie asked, those deep lines of concern etched around her eyes and mouth once again standing out. Wearily, Annie closed her eyes and summoned the strength to tell the story one more time. This time, however, it was easier. She didn't fight the tears when they pricked at her eyes and Debbie didn't interrupt. Glossing over some of the more brutal details, she only omitted the moment when she'd held the gun in her hand and contemplated Jasper's death. Not a lie so much as something she just wasn't ready to share with the woman who held her freedom in the palm of her hand. The moment when she realized Liam had been shot was the hardest to retell. She kept expecting to glance down and see blood staining her fingers.

"So…you did all this for Liam?" Debbie asked, when Annie was finished, the worry only intensified now that she knew everything.

"Not entirely," Annie shook her head, searching for the words to explain. "When I found out Jasper had set Liam's boat on fire, I realized…it wasn't over. I needed to…wanted to…I wanted to be free of Jasper, of the guilt. The only thing I could think of was making him face the consequences of everything he'd done. Like I had to. Helping Liam was the point, but when he didn't want me to do it - and yes, I know I should have listened to him - I knew I had to. If not for him, for me."

Debbie blinked in surprise. "Liam didn't want you to do it?"

"Uh, no," Annie shook her head, eyes wide. "We actually got in a huge fight about it. He didn't anywhere near Jasper."

"Smart boy," she approved.

Annie nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, well…it worked, though. Jasper's going to pay for what he did. I finally feel like it's over."

"Even though you could have been killed," her mother pointed out, lightly touching the bruises along her jaw and throat. Annie could only imagine how awful they looked now paired with her undoubtedly swollen face and disheveled hair.

"That definitely wasn't part of the plan," she murmured, her eyes downcast as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "And mom, really…I'm so sorry for the things I said at the hospital. I don't like the idea of having to see you flirt with other men, but I was seriously out of line."

"Maybe," Debbie agreed with a heavy sigh and tipped Annie's chin, forcing her to meet her eye. "But let's just say I was more embarrassed than angry about that. I had no idea Jeffery was married, let alone Liam's step dad."

"You don't…like him, do you?" Annie wrinkled her nose in disgust at the very idea.

"I don't even know him," Debbie replied, incredulous. "He was…charming but I have no interest in dating anybody right now, let alone a married man."

"Good. That would be…creepy," she admitted, recoiling inwardly at the notion of her mother dating her boyfriend's step dad. "And Jeffery's a jerk. You should stay far, far away from him."

"Noted," Debbie nodded. Tilting her head, she eyed her daughter inquisitively. "What about you and Liam? I'm guessing staying away from him is out of the question, huh?"

Annie swallowed, the moment of truth finally arriving. Butterflies sprang to life in her stomach. "That depends. Am I grounded again?"

Debbie sighed and pulled away. Annie waited with her heart in her throat for her mother's decree, barely breathing. As the seconds ticked by, she tried to read her mother's features, searching for some sign as to what the decision would be. Finally, Debbie shook her head. "You know, this has easily been the most hellish summer of my life. You confess to vehicular manslaughter, Dixon flees the country and your father and I decide to end our marriage…now this."

"I'm sorry," she replied automatically, the words wholly inadequate.

"I know you are, sweetie," Debbie said with a sad smile that made Annie's heart sink. She could almost hear the decree. "Which is why I'm not going to ground you again."

Annie swore her heart stopped. "What?"

"You're heart was in the right place, honey, and I'm so tired of being in conflict with my whole family," Debbie admitted ruefully, pulling Annie's hand into her lap, she stared directly into her eyes. "But you have to promise me something."

"A-anything."

"Don't lose yourself in Liam the way you did in Jasper," she begged, the pain in her eyes giving Annie a glimpse of the torture she'd inflicted on her mother during the months she'd been with her ex. "I like having my daughter back and I will rethink this leniency if you start to play the misanthrope again."

"I won't. Liam's not…he's _nothing _like Jasper," she promised vehemently.

"I'm going to hold you to that," Debbie replied, pointing a finger at her as she rose to her feet. "Think of it as another kind of probation. Now go to sleep. I'm guessing when you go to see Liam tomorrow you're not going to want to look like you've been up all night crying."

"It's kind of frightening how well you know me," Annie said, pulling back the covers and crawling into bed, eyeing her mother warily and with the first hint of humor she'd felt all night.

"Mother's are supposed to be scary," Debbie insisted, leaning over her daughter and pressing a kiss to her forehead like she used to when she tucked her in as a child. "I love you."

"Love you, too," Annie said automatically, but truly meaning it nonetheless. Her mother padded softly across the carpet and flipped the lights off before pulling her door shut. Darkness fell on the room Annie knew by heart, broken only by a splash of moonlight through the open window. For a moment, she stared blankly, trying to decide if the conversation she'd just had really happened. It seemed too good to be true that her mother had handled everything with such…grace and calm. Part of her wanted to spring out of bed, rush down the hall and just ask one more time that she wasn't grounded, just to be certain.

But Annie never left her room. Even as she pushed off the covers to climb out of bed, exhaustion wrapped itself around her, pulling her to a sound sleep before she could do more than wish she could call Liam and tell him the good news.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The car ride home from the hospital was an exercise in agony for Liam. Even with the drugs, every bump, every turn jarred the burning wound at his side. He could feel his mother's eyes on him, worry oozing from her in waves, so he kept his mouth shut and held his breath. Colleen had barely agreed to let him leave the hospital, despite the doctors backing him up on his protestations that he was well enough.

"We're almost there," she assured him, reaching across the center console to cover his hand with hers and squeeze reassuringly.

Liam clenched his jaw, willing himself not to snap at her. He knew the way home, obviously they were almost there. Closing his eyes, he nodded and tried to remember that it wasn't her fault he felt like he'd been run over by a truck. The gunshot wound wasn't the only thing that hurt. As much as he hated to admit it, Jasper had landed more than a few solid blows after the gun went off. When he smiled or frowned or even spoke the bruised skin over his cheek pulled so tight he thought it might crack. Every muscle in his upper body felt like he'd just put in a week's worth of swim practice overnight. When he got home he wanted nothing more than a hot shower and to pass out for a week.

Despite his promise to Silver, Liam hadn't been able to sleep much during his brief stay in the hospital. The pain killers messed with his dreams, throwing him vividly back into the nightmare under the pier every time he dozed off. In one vision, he didn't make it to Annie in time, only finding her lifeless, bloody body after the sharp report of gunshots clued him in to her location. The other played out like reality until the moment he was transported from the pier. Rather than being taken to the emergency room, he'd wound up back at the wilderness boot camp from last summer. With blood dripping down his side, he'd been forced to grab his gear and set out on one of the early morning ten mile hikes he'd endured nearly every day. Each time he came to, he swore that was the last time he'd let himself fall asleep, but the meds had other ideas, dragging him under despite his best efforts. The same theme wove through every incarnation of the nightmare. Somehow, no matter what he did, Annie was always taken away from him.

More than anything, he'd wanted to call her, just to hear her voice and reaffirm what Silver had promised, but he refrained, remembering at the last minute that her cell phone had become police evidence. In the middle of the night, alone in the hospital for all intents and purposes as Colleen slept awkwardly in the chair at his bedside, Liam had almost been desperate enough to risk a call to her home phone. Anxiety over making the situation with her mother worse always held him back.

Jeffery's house came into view and for the first time since relocating to Beverly Hills, it felt like home. Liam relaxed momentarily in relief, just as Colleen executed a wide turn to pull into the driveway. Clamping his mouth shut against a sudden spike of pain, he gripped the arm rest so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"Sorry. I'm sorry," Colleen quickly apologized, biting her lip as she slowly eased the vehicle to a stop in front of the house.

"It's fine," Liam said through gritted teeth, releasing a slow breath when the car finally came to a complete stop. Without waiting for her, he opened the door and gingerly crawled out. The pain was so much less when he knew what was coming. Wisely, Colleen didn't try to help as he made his way into the house. Once inside, he glanced at the stairs and scowled.

"You can crash on the couch."

A tempting offer, but Liam still had his sights set on a shower. "Once I get to my room it will be worth it."

"I suppose there's nothing I can do or say to get you to let me help?" she asked, folding her arms and raising a brow.

Taking more support from the railing than he cared to admit, he mounted the first step and managed a wry grin. "Nope."

"You're going to give me grey hairs," she shook her head and gave him a light kiss on the cheek before heading for the kitchen. "Be careful. Call me if you need me."

"Thanks, mom," he called after her, waiting until he heard the sharp click of her heeled shoes on the tiled floor before apprehensively appraising the flight of stairs. He'd raced up and down them countless times without a second thought and now just the landing at the half way point seemed like Mount Everest. Sighing, he began to climb.

By the time he reached his room, Liam was actually winded, which pissed him off more than anything. Despite his plan of heading directly for the shower, he found himself sitting on the edge of his bed, left arm wrapped protectively around his stomach. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he methodically unbuttoned the clean shirt Colleen had brought to the hospital and took it off with minimal discomfort. Tossing it to the floor, he gave in to temptation and flopped backward. By comparison to the stiff, scratchy sheets, his own bed felt like heaven. Promising to only rest his eyes for few moments, he quickly dozed off.

After what felt like mere minutes, but could have been hours, a sharp knock pierced through his mercifully dreamless sleep. Groaning, he covered his face with his hands, pressing against his eyes. Blinking groggily, he opened them to discover the embodiment of half the nightmares he'd had the night before. Jeffery stood in the open doorway, barely crossing the threshold to his room. Swallowing, Liam fought his way to a seated position, his hand once again covering the bandaged wound at his side.

"You seem to be doing better," Jeffery observed, tapping his cell phone against his palm.

"Oh, I'm awesome," Liam promised, giving him a closed lipped smile. "What do you want?"

His step dad scoffed and shook his head, apparently Liam had adequately lived down to his expectations. "I should have known better than to anticipate a any gratitude from you."

"I'm sorry, what exactly am I supposed to be grateful for?" he frowned. "Did I miss your vigil at my bedside?"

"Well, forgive me for not wringing my hands while I could put my skills to better use elsewhere," Jeffery snapped, pocketing his phone. "I spent the night on the phone with the DA. Jasper Herman confessed to a laundry list of offenses. The assault charges against you have been dropped."

Stunned silence filled the room. Liam had been prepared for a lot of things from his stepfather. Disapproval, yelling, punishment; but good news hadn't even crossed his mind. He eyed him suspiciously. Dangling the carrot and snatching it away wasn't typically Jeffery's style, but in his current state, Liam couldn't be too sure. "Are you serious?"

"I am," his step dad nodded without the slightest indication of pleasure.

Liam's shoulder's sagged under the weight of his relief. Closing his eyes, he drew deep breath and uttered two words he never thought he'd say to Jeffery. "Thank you."

"Well, now that's a surprise," Jeffery mused. Turning to leave, he called over his shoulder. "You're welcome."

"Jeffery, wait," Liam pushed off the bed and moved far too quickly to the open doorway. Grimacing as his stitches pulled, he struggled against every instinct he had in posing his next question, but he had to know. "Does this mean…can I stay?"

"Of course not," Jeffery scoffed without even pausing to consider it, as if the very notion was too ridiculous to contemplate. Liam's heart sank and braced his hand on the doorframe, shaking his head ruefully, he cursed the insidious threads of hope that had already begun to wind around his heart. By now, he should know better.

"Why am not surprised?" he murmured, clenching his fist against his side.

"Because occasionally an intelligent thought rolls through the juvenile delinquent head of yours," Jeffery replied sardonically. Lowering his voice, he folded his arms. "Liam, you may no longer be facing criminal charges. Arguably, you may have even been justified in putting that boy in the hospital, but none of that changes the fact that you stole from me. That you broke your promise to your mother and I and proved that you really learned nothing last summer."

"Have you been paying any attention at all?" Liam demanded, his temper spiking. "I worked my ass off to keep you happy and off my back. Yeah, I made a mistake, but I'm willing to pay you back,. I'll work off the cost of those coins, I'll do whatever you want. Just let me stay. Please."

The please, a sour bitter word in Liam's mouth, took Jeffery by surprise. Drawing back, he cocked his head as he studied Liam. Summoning all his strength, Liam managed to hold his step dad's gaze without flinching. A small, conniving smirk curved Jeffery's cruel lips. "I don't think I've heard you quite this desperate, before. What's suddenly so important here in Beverly Hills that you'd stoop to begging?"

Jaw clenched, Liam glared at him and refused to admit the truth. Jeffery was an entirely different kind of predator than Jasper, but Liam knew better than to let his stepfather see how much Annie meant to him. He would never trust the man with that kind of leverage.

"That's a smart move," Jeffery nodded in bizarre approval. "In business you never reveal your weaknesses. Fine. Whatever I want, right? I believe those were your exact words."

Liam's stomach twisted, common sense screamed at him that no good would come of a deal with the devil, but he had no choice. Leaving Annie was never going to be easy, but after last night and his realization of just how deeply he cared for her, it wasn't even an option anymore. "Anything."

"Interesting," Jeffery mused, crossing his arms and stroking his chin. The smarmy smile that curled his lips made Liam nauseas. "You know, you never told me that Debbie Wilson's daughter is your girlfriend."

Liam's blood ran cold, but he managed to keep it together. "Well, that makes sense, considering I make it a point to speak to you as little as possible."

"Be nice," his step dad warned. "Maybe what I want from you is civility."

"No way will you settle for that little," Liam eyed him with the same scrutinizing expression Jeffery had used on him. The older man had the upper hand, always did, but Liam could hold his own even as he lost battle after battle.

"True. What's her name?"

That son of a bitch. "Annie," he growled through clenched teeth.

"Cute," Jeffery sneered. "Okay, here's the deal. You use your little girlfriend to get me a date with her mother, and you can stay."

Taken aback, Liam pulled a face, certain for a moment he'd heard wrong or that he was really back in his bed having another nightmare. "A-are you serious?"

"Completely."

"Then you're out of your freaking mind," he scoffed. The utter absurdity left him bewildered, rather than angry. Jeffery wanted a date with Annie's mom in exchange for Liam's freedom. In a way, he had to hand it to him. Liam would never take that deal and Jeffery knew it. "There's no way I'm pimping out Mrs. Wilson so you can cheat on mom."

Jeffery shrugged, unaffected by the refusal. "Well, then I hope upstate Maine in January sounds appealing because that's where you're going as soon as the doctor gives you a clean bill of health."

"Go to hell," Liam muttered under his breath, slamming the door on the sorry excuse for a human being his mother had allowed to infect their lives. Furious now that the initial shock had worn off, he stalked to the bathroom. The blackest of thoughts filled his head as he turned on the hot water in the show. Clenching his fists he braced them on the sink to keep from smashing the mirror. Jeffery was probably expecting a reaction like that and Liam would be damned if he'd give it to him.

Agony radiated from the gun shot wound, traveling up and down his entire right side. The painkillers were wearing off. His temper quieted as quickly as it flared. Exhaustion and pain were a better diffuser than the boat. With a sigh, he dropped his head, valiantly trying to fight off an debilitating sense of defeat as he wanted nothing more than to see Annie.

Standing outside Liam's front door, Annie shifted her car keys nervously from one hand to the other and eyed the doorbell. She should have called. Arriving unannounced felt wrong, but with her cell gone she hadn't thought of it until she pulled into the driveway. Back in the day, before everybody was connected a million different ways, visits were always a surprise, right? Keeping that thought in mind, she impulsively pressed the bell; then knocked on the door for good measure.

The sound of muted footsteps within preceded the opening of the door. Colleen's smile of recognition was subdued, but automatic. "Annie. This is a surprise."

"Yeah, um, sorry about that," she offered sheepishly, playing with the ragged cuffs of the old KSU zippered hoodie she'd dug out of her parent's closet. Catching Colleen's appraising gaze, she realized how over dressed she must appear compared to the night before. That morning she'd awoken after a night of fitful sleep to an astounding collection of bruises. She'd expected the ones on her face and neck to be the worst and while they certainly were the most prominent, the long bruise down her spine was actually the most painful. Donning an old pair of jeans that dragged on the ground, a light purple tank top and the hoodie, Annie had let her hair dry into messy waves that framed her face in such a way that masked some of the damage. If the heat and humidity hadn't dissipated after the storm she would have been miserable. "I should have called, but my cell phone is evidence now and I-."

"Don't know quite what to do without it?" Colleen teased, lifting an eyebrow. Annie couldn't help smile, recognizing it as one of Liam's favorite expressions. The door opened wider and Colleen held out her hand. "Do you want to come in?"

She nodded her thanks and accepted the invitation, taking a few steps into the open foyer. Gesturing up the staircase directly before them, Colleen explained. "Liam's upstairs in his room. I'd offer you something, but I'm guessing you're not here to make small talk with me."

Annie blushed and managed to keep her feet rooted in place so as not to betray how quickly she wanted to fly up the stairs. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Just let me know if you need anything," she replied with a knowing smile. Annie gave her a nod and took the first few steps at a sedate pace, marveling at the difference between the woman she saw last night and the one who'd just let her in the front door. Seeing Colleen like this, self assured, at ease and just as quick with the sarcasm as her son, Annie finally understood what had kept Liam from just running away completely. He must desperately miss the woman his mother was when Jeffery wasn't around.

"Annie?"

Pausing on the midpoint landing, she glanced down the half flight to find Colleen gripping the deep mahogany newel post with both hands. "Thank you for looking out for my son last night."

Annie's stomach twisted with guilt. Bang up job she did considering he'd nearly bled out in the sand. "I didn't do anything. The paramedics-."

"That's not what I mean. From what Teddy told me you risked an awful lot to prove Liam's story," she dropped her gaze to her clasped hands. "I'm glad he has friends like you."

_Then don't let your husband send him away_, Annie wanted to scream, but she was far too tired and didn't want to even think about that anvil hanging over their heads. Instead she said. "You don't have to thank me. I'd do an-I'd do it again."

Colleen offered her one more smile of gratitude, the shine of tears making her eyes – so like Liam's – glisten. "Liam's room is the last one on the left."

"Thanks," Annie replied, taking that as her cue and climbing the rest of the flight. As she neared the closed door at the end of the hall, her stomach clenched with an entirely different kind of anticipation. A full twenty four hours hadn't even passed since Liam had been taken from the Pier in the back of an ambulance – the last time she'd seen him – but Annie would have sworn it had been weeks. Aside from the need to see him alive and well with her own eyes, she couldn't wait to just be with him again. Despite how messy the final act with Jasper became, she felt a sense of peace now, the closure for which she'd been yearning.

Raising her fist to knock, she hesitated, the anticipation mounting to actual nerves. Biting her lip, she shook her head and forced her hand. This was silly. It was just Liam. Then the door opened a few long moments later and Annie realized she'd been wrong. Liam could never be _just _anything. Fresh from a shower, his hair still damp and wearing nothing but a pair of jeans, her mouth went dry. She'd have to be blind and…no, she was pretty sure even blind Liam would make her pulse race and her knees go weak. The boy was just too damn beautiful for his own good.

But it was more than just the physical attraction. The way he looked at her, a smile playing on his lips despite the exhaustion and dull pain in his unbelievable blue eyes, made her heart swell until it nearly burst. She wanted to crawl into his arms and never leave. Suddenly breathless, a single phrase ran through her head, so insistent she wanted to say it aloud.

_I'm so in love with you._

Slightly freaked by that stunning revelation, she gave into a different impulse and closed the already small distance between them by standing on her toes and wrapping her arms around him. She breathed his name, melting instantly into the heat of his body. He tried to stifle the short grunt of pain as she came into contact with the bandage wound at his side, but she felt him flinch. Horrified that her haste had hurt him, she tried to pull away. "Oh my god, I'm sorry."

"Shhh," he insisted, keeping her in place within the circle of his arms. Since he gave her no other option, she gradually relaxed again, resting her cheek on his bare chest and closing her eyes. His skin was still warm and slightly damp from the shower and she breathed in the scent of his soap. Annie wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, but the embrace was solid and strong and exactly what she needed to assure her that everything would be okay.

"This is silly," she murmured without opening her eyes. "But I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks."

She felt his soft chuckle rather than heard it as he pressed his lips to the top of her head. "I know what you mean. How are you?"

"Me? I'm fine. What about you?" she queried. Liam let her shift just enough to crane her neck and look him in the eye. The bruise on his cheek looked excruciating, but did nothing to detract from his unbelievable appeal. Unable to stop herself, she threaded her fingers through his hair, making him groan again but for completely different reasons.

"Oh, I'm feeling pretty damn good all of a sudden," he said with a slow grin that awoke something deep and primal within her. She swallowed, hardly daring to blink lest he disappear and she wake up in her bed at home. The thought of being without his arms around her a nightmare. That initial reaction to him when he opened the door came flooding back to her and she was very aware of the heat of his bare skin. Convinced now that he wasn't at Death's door, she dropped her gaze to his lips as her breathing quickened and expectation made her pulse race.

"I'm glad to hear it," she whispered, acutely sensitive to the sensation of Liam's hands tracing her spine and dipping low around her hips. She longed to tug his mouth to hers, but there was something delicious about the expectation. Liam tilted his head, eyes dancing over her face as if he couldn't decide which part of her he wanted to taste first.

"Silver was right."

Frowning, Annie shook her head at the completely unexpected statement. "A-about what?"

One finger skirted the tender spot along her jaw, the touch so light goosebumps stood out on her skin. "She said we'd have matching bruises."

"I don't wanna talk about Silver," she murmured, rising on her toes to bring them closer together. Liam still had to dip his head to look at her, but only a few centimeters separated them now.

"Neither do I," he agreed.

"So…what do you want to talk about?" she asked, dragging out the game even though her body screamed in protest. Desire, hot and pulsing, rolled through her in waves and she shifted so that every inch of her was pressed against him.

Liam shook his head slowly, his breath on her lips when he spoke. "I don't want to talk." His mouth crashed down on hers and she sighed, her eyes fluttering shut. Equal parts relief and exhilaration surged through her as she eagerly returned the kiss, her hands framing his face. The slightest nudge from Liam encouraged her lips to part as the connection deepened. Somewhere through the haze of lust, she was aware of his hand leaving her body and then the familiar sound of a door closing. For that moment, she felt the loss of his touch acutely.

Before she could so much as whimper in protest, the hand was back, tugging the zipper of her hoodie all the way down and pushing it off her shoulders. It fell to the floor at her feet in a puddle, but Annie couldn't be bothered, reveling as she did in the way his mouth moved over hers. Vaguely, she was aware that they were moving, but she didn't realize their destination until Liam's knees hit the edge of his bed. He did his best to hide any signs of discomfort, but Annie was too close to miss the way his whole body tensed as he sank to the mattress.

Like a bucket of cold water, her brain reminded her that despite his bravado, he was probably in lot of pain. In agony, she denied her body what it wanted and didn't immediately allow him to drag her down to the mattress with him. Although breaking the kiss was pure torture, she persevered with a groan. Licking her lips, she somehow found the will to make light of the situation, rather than worry about the wound. "Careful," she teased. "Don't start something you can't finish.

Liam raised an eyebrow as she braced her hands on his bare shoulders and climbed onto his lap, her knees on either side of his thighs. He brought his hands to her waist, then lower, squeezing her hips. "What makes you think I can't finish it?"

Annie's face grew so hot, she knew she was blushing bright red all the way to the roots of her hair, but she held her own. "Really? With your mom downstairs and a bullet wound in your side?"

"We can be quiet," he murmured, his voice a low, rough promise that liquefied her insides, made her thighs clench around his. He kissed her again, just a taste, a tease. "And believe me, I am feeling no pain."

"Hmm, am I that intoxicating?" she wondered, amazed she could even speak as he placed open mouthed kisses down her neck to the hollow of her throat.

"Absolutely," he agreed, so close his lips brushed skin with every syllable.

"I think that's the painkillers talking," she laughed, the sound almost alien it had been so long since she heard it. Giving in to the seductive pull of temptation, she lost herself in yet another kiss, even succumbing to Liam's not so subtle hint as he pulled her all the way down to the bed. Her hair fell like a curtain around them and she had the presence of mind to lock her arms and prevent her full weight from pressing against his side. Big talk or not, the injury had to be killing him.

Annie knew they had to stop. What was building between them would reach a point of no return and Liam's intent was crystal clear. If they had been anywhere else, gunshot wound or not, nothing would have stopped her. She wanted him. Every kiss, every touch made her body ache for more in a way that should have scared her. On one level it did. Sex wasn't quite the big deal it had been a year ago, but her experience was still limited to the lie that was her relationship with Jasper. While Liam…

His hands worked her tank top up, higher and higher until his thumbs teased the lower edge of her bra; setting her nerves on fire and making her arms tremble with the effort to hold herself above him. With her whole body screaming in protest, she groaned and broke the kiss. Tugging her shirt down, she crawled off. "No. No, I can't. I know you'd probably get off on the thrill of your mom walking in on us, but I can't."

"Chicken," he taunted, working the charm for all it was worth. When her eyes widened and she scoffed indignantly, he held up his hands. "I'm kidding. I'm totally kidding."

"Besides," Annie continued, planting a hand on the opposite side of his torso and leaning over him. Lightly, she traced the faint discoloration on his ribs that marked bruises completely unrelated to the bullet wound. "I think you're hurt worse than you're telling me."

After a few moments she noted the muscles in his stomach tighten and he stopped her hand. Instantly guilty, she glanced up, expecting to find pain etched into his features. What she found was discomfort, but even with her limited experience she recognized it for what it was. "Annie, if we're not taking this further, you can't keep touching me like that."

"Sorry," she smirked, obviously anything but. Looking wistfully toward his closed door, she wished they were alone. Warm fingers brushed her hair over her shoulder and what should have been a gentle caress sent a dull ache racing through her. Snapping her head back, she found Liam studying the bruises along her jaw.

"I'm not the only one who got hurt last night," he murmured, his blue eyes turning to ice with the memory.

"It's nothing," she promised. "Just a few bruises. Nothing compared to what happened to you."

Liam was quiet for a moment, his fingers still moving gently over her flesh as the tension in the room eased. Annie's body still ached for his, but it no longer dominated her actions. Once again, she was merely grateful to be with him, to see that he was okay. When he spoke again, he kept his eyes on the bruise just below her chin, where Jasper had pressed the gun so deeply into her skin the outline of the barrel stood out in sharp relief. "When Silver called and told me Jasper had you…I don't remember ever being that freaked out."

"_You _were freaked? I had your blood all over my hands," she reminded him, the horror of that moment still incredibly fresh in her mind. She leaned into his touch where he was caressing her cheek now and closed her eyes. "I've never been that terrified and desperate in my entire life."

"It was worth it," he said, surprising her. She'd expected some sort of chastisement or the demand of a promise never to carry out any stupid dangerous plans again. Definitely not agreement with her own assessment of the evening.

"You really think so?"

"Don't you?"

"Yeah, but…you were right," she reminded him. "You warned me to stay away from Jasper, that he was too dangerous and, well…I think we're both proof of that."

"That's true," he nodded, propping an arm behind his head as he continued to play with her hair with the other hand. "But it worked."

Satisfaction made her heart swell and she smiled. "It did, didn't it. With any luck the cops can use that tape to bring charges against Jasper and prove-."

"The DA dropped the charges against me," Liam interrupted, grinning at the look of shock that surely crossed her features. "Jasper confessed everything."

For a full five seconds surprise rendered Annie immobile, her brain refusing to grasp the idea that what Liam said was true. Only in her wildest dreams had everything worked out so perfectly. Searching his face, she tried to find even the slightest sign that he was joking. The only thing she saw was relief. Then she was on top of him, hugging him as best she could laying full out on the bed. Burying her face against his neck, she couldn't help but ask. "Oh my god. Please don't be kidding me. Are you serious?"

"Yes," he laughed and then groaned as the action strained his wounded side. Loosely wrapping his arms around her, he didn't let her pull away. "I found out earlier today. So yeah, when I say thank you for what you did and that it was worth it, I really think so."

"Well, you saved my life, so we're even," Annie countered, propping her arms by his shoulders. Gazing down at him, their faces only inches apart, the desire to kiss him again was so strong, she didn't care if he complained that she was a tease. Hell, at the moment she was so ecstatic she really didn't care that Colleen was in the house and could bust in on them at any moment.

Liam let her take the lead this time, as she made contact with a mere brush of her lips against his. But she wasn't in the mood for just a taste and within heartbeats, her mouth opened and she hungrily matched him stroke for stroke. Once again, the increasingly familiar touch of his hands on her bare skin set her body on fire. His fingers crept no further than just beneath the hem of her shirt, but he used his grip to pull her closer.

"Annie…Annie, we-we gotta stop," he said moments later, breathing heavily when she draped her leg over his to wedge snugly between his thighs.

"I changed my mind."

"Don't say that," he groaned, his clenched fists bunching her shirt.

"Why?"

"Because you're right," he admitted. "I don't want to start something I can't finish and these painkillers are kicking my ass."

Pulling away enough to fully look at him, she noted how heavy his eyelids were, how slowly they blinked. His pale blue eyes, normally sharp and clear, were hazy and it wasn't just from the intensity of their make out session. Surprisingly, she wasn't disappointed. Instead, she felt a little giddy that he'd admit what she was sure he considered a weakness to her. Quickly kissed him once more and disentangled herself from his arms; a much easier task that she expected. "I'll get out of here and let you sleep then."

"No, stay," he caught her hand as she moved to rise from the bed. Liam's eyes were nearly closed, but his grip was unbreakable.

"Liam, you need rest," she couldn't help but smile, thrilled that he didn't want her to leave. "Not an intoxicating distraction."

"No, I just need you," he confessed, wiping the grin completely off her face with raw, unabashed honesty that rendered her defenseless. For a horrifying second, she let the uncertainty of the future mar what had already been one of the best afternoon's of her life. Her heart beat painfully against her ribs as against her will she pictured her life without him. The intensity of her feelings him scared her sometimes, but nothing terrified her like the idea of losing him.

Shaking her head, Annie banished the thought. Leaving those questions for another day, she returned to the bed. Liam eased his battered body aside to make more room for her and held his arm out, beckoning her to curl against his side. Her head fit perfectly against his shoulder and she let her hand fall naturally to his bare chest. With a bemused smile, she realized she'd nearly forgotten he was half naked.

Within minutes, Liam's breathing slowed, became steady as the painkillers did their job and pulled him into a deep, dreamless slumber. Annie watched him sleep, surprised by how comfortable she felt in his room, in his bed, now that she actually had a moment to think about those facts. To say she had never felt this way about anybody before was a gross understatement. Not Ethan, not Jasper, not her ex boyfriend back in Kansas. If someone had told her a year and a half ago that the cocky player who'd hit on her seconds after making out all over the bar with her best friend would become the most important person in her world, she would have laughed in their face. But here she was, completely head over heels in love with Liam Court.

"I need you , too, Liam," she whispered, pressing her lips to his shoulder and wrapping her arm fully around him. Closing her eyes, she let the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear lull her blissfully to sleep. The last conscious thought she had was a promise that no matter what else happened, she would let nothing and no one pull her and Liam apart.


	20. Chapter 20

_In honor of the premier I thought I'd update early. Enjoy!_

Chapter 20

A week passed uneventfully. July turned to August and summer was winding down. The air was thick with the frenzied desperation of thousands of teenagers trying to cram as much freedom into each day as they possibly could. The weather cooperated. After the post storm cool front passed through, temperatures returned to normal and the beaches were packed with locals and tourists alike. Nothing is so picture postcard perfect as Southern California in the height of summer.

For Annie and Liam, that desperation was compounded by the unspoken unknown of the future. Liam had yet to tell her about Jeffery's insane deal and Annie couldn't bring herself to ask if his stepdad had had a change of heart. Caught in that catch-22, they pretended – outwardly at least – that nothing was wrong and spent every moment they could together. After completing her community service for the day, Annie kept her mother happy by having a quick meal at home and then without fail drove to Liam's. Even if he hadn't been recovering from a gunshot wound, Annie felt like she owed him some mileage after all the midnight trips he'd made to see her.

As much as Annie loved being with Liam the intensity of their need to be together was overwhelming, even a little scary. When she wasn't with him, she felt anxious and on edge, like somehow he might disappear while she wasn't looking. She wanted to follow her mother's advice and not lose herself in Liam like she had in Jasper, but the uncertainty of their future - or lack thereof - fueled her every motivation. So many times, she'd almost worked up the courage to broach the taboo subject, but fear always prevented her and she went resumed simply focusing on the moment.

Acting against his nature, Liam actually followed the doctor's orders and his side healed quickly. Eight days after the showdown beneath the Pier, he'd given up the painkillers, living with the dwindling discomfort rather than walking around in a drugged haze. Every day was better and by Saturday, just in time for a party Teddy was throwing on his father's yacht, he felt almost back to normal.

With the setting sun blazing in the western sky, Liam smoothly pulled the GTO into a parking spot at the marina. Although she hit it well, Annie had been watching him carefully from the moment he picked her up, a form of surveillance he'd grudgingly accepted from nearly everybody he knew lately. Well, that was ending tonight. Shifting into park, he twisted the keys from the ignition and faced her. "I'm fine, you know. Eventually, you're going to have to quit waiting for me to fall apart."

"Oh, I wasn't…" Annie colored immediately at being caught and dipped her head sheepishly. "That's not what I was doing."

"Right," he replied dryly, opening the door and deliberately slipping out without the slightest sign of discomfort. Honestly, his side did hurt, but he was done being the patient. Even with a nurse as appealing as Annie.

"No, seriously," she insisted, climbing out and shutting the passenger door. The sun hit her wavy hair, lighting it on fire as it bounced around her shoulders, but Liam's eyes were drawn elsewhere. Namely, the expanse of bare leg her short black shorts exposed. Outwardly, he maintained his cool, but he'd barely been able to focus on the road all the way here. Giving himself a mental shake, he dragged his eyes back to her face. "I wasn't watching you because I was worried."

"Then why?"

"How about…you're really hot and I can't keep my eyes off you?" she bit her lip mischievously and looked up at him through her lashes, an expression that she knew got under his skin. Biting back a grin, he raised a brow expectantly. Rolling her eyes, she sighed. "Fine. I was trying to figure out how to drive your car."

No matte how long he knew her, Liam would never figure how this girl's mind worked. "What? You know how to drive a car, Annie."

"Not a manual," she argued. Drawing up close, she played with the buttons on the collar of his long sleeved shirt. Automatically, his arms slid around her waist. "I was hoping you'd teach me how to drive stick."

Narrowing his eyes, Liam lowered his head with excruciating slowness and kissed her, coaxing her onto her toes as he pulled back. Shaking his head he vowed. "Not a chance."

"Liam!"

"Annie!" he teased, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the docks. "You're not driving my car. It still isn't running right since Teddy took it on a joyride last weekend."

"It sounded fine to me," she pouted, lacing her fingers through his as they made their way down the long walkway to the waiting yacht. Lights blazed from every window and other people already milled about the open decks. Liam recognized most of them, but he'd be screwed if he had to produce names. The usual West Bev crowd that matriculated at every good party, rain or shine, they could always be counted on to make an appearance. As they drew closer, Annie's pace slowed eventually bringing both of them to a halt.

"What's wrong?" Liam asked, turning to face her as she stared at the expansive vessel.

"Nothing. I was just thinking that after tonight, the secret's out. All of West Bev is going to know that we're together," she said, her eyes narrowd with concern.

"We're a secret?"

"Well, no," she admitted, glancing at him with a smile. "I mean, not on purpose. But aside from Teddy and Silver, nobody knows."

Perplexed, he didn't know what to say. "Do you…want to keep it that way?"

"No," she replied quickly. "No, that's not what I want. I was just remembering what happened the last time people thought we were together. I'd really rather not have a drink thrown in my face tonight."

Realization dawned and Liam scowled. "I'm not going to let that happen."

"Are you going to start taking drinks to the face for me too?" she asked with a small smile. Sighing, she shook her head. "I know you won't. Things are different this time. I'm just being ridiculous. I'm sure most people don't even remember that party."

Slipping his arm protectively around her shoulder, Liam pulled her close and guided her toward the ramp securing the yacht to the dock. Honestly, he doubted anybody would ever forget the party that landed them all in summer school or the girl behind it, but more than a years worth of drama had gone down since that night. Noting several of his already buzzed classmates sitting precariously on the railing, Liam grinned "Tell you what," he said, leaning close as the noise of the party grew louder. "If anybody gives us a hard time, we'll just dump them overboard."

Annie laughed and smiled up at him. "Deal."

The yacht departed without incident and an hour into the party, Annie and Silver were lounging on deck chairs at the front of the boat. Aside from a few curious stares, nobody seemed to care that she and Liam had arrived together, very obviously a couple. Annie was relieved, even though she knew her concerns were most likely unfounded. Still, if she lived to be one hundred, she knew she'd never forget the gut-wrenching humiliation of those final moments at Naomi's post prom party. The real test would come when school started, when Naomi found out that once again, Annie had hooked up with her ex. If, of course, Liam was actually around for the beginning of school.

Silver returned just then, drinks in hand, giving Annie the perfect excuse to push those nagging doubts aside. She was really becoming quite skilled at avoidance. Offering Annie a highball glass filled to the brim with bright green liquid, ice and a cherry, Silver settled into the vacant chair.

"What is this?" Annie asked, holding the glass up to the glow of the lighted window. "I have never seen a drink actually glow in the dark before.

"Midori sour," Silver replied, taking a sip of her own identical beverage. "It's awesome."

Eyeing the concoction, Annie shrugged. "Cheers."

"Indeed," her friend agreed, clinking their glasses together. "Here's to the end of summer and dodging bullets."

"Classy," Annie laughed, taking a tentative sip. The fruity mixture went down smooth with only the faintest hint of alcohol. "Oh my god, you're right, this is awesome. And dangerous."

"I know," Silver grinned devilishly. "Who drove tonight?"

"Liam," Annie scowled, thinking indignantly about the GTO she'd never get to drive.

"What's with the look?"

"I asked him to teach me how to drive his car and he refused," she explained. "He says it's still not running right since Teddy drove it last week."

Silver snickered. "Yeah, he mentioned stalling it out a couple times. Swore it was running fine, though."

"I thought so, too, but apparently there's 'fine' and then there's Liam's definition," Annie sighed and settled back into the chair, taking another drink. The sun had set and the stars were thick in the sky.

"Keep working on him," Silver suggested. "Eventually, he'll cave."

Eventually…a marker of time, the word kicked her in the gut. Time being something she and Liam probably didn't have. Losing her appetite for the drink, she placed it carefully on the table between the chairs.

"What? What'd I say?" Silver asked, noting immediately the change in mood.

"I still haven't asked him," Annie explained, knowing the other girl would understand. They'd had more than one conversation in the past week where Silver urged her to bite the proverbial bullet and find out once and for all whether Liam was staying or going.

"And he hasn't told you?" Silver tsked and shook her head. "I hate to Debbie Downer the situation, but that's not a good sign, Annie."

"I know," she groaned, covering her face with her hands. "I know I should just ask him but if it's bad news…I don't know if I can handle it, Silver. I really don't."

"It can't be worse than not knowing," she insisted.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure it can," Annie disagreed, imagining for one sickening moment having to say goodbye. She nearly threw up what little alcohol she'd consumed. "The longer I put it off the less I have to think about it."

Silver gave a very unladylike snort and rolled her eyes. "Right, because that's worked out so well for you so far."

"I'm choosing to live in the moment," Annie said defensively, hating how weak her conviction sounded. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing," Silver shrugged. "If that's what you're really doing. Are you seriously treating every day you spend with Liam like you don't have another one?"

"Yes," she stated without hesitation.

"Have you told him you love him?" she quizzed, taking Annie's hesitation as confirmation of her suspicions. "That's what I thought. What are you waiting for? The perfect moment? Him to say it first?

Squirming under Silver's merciless interrogation, Annie stumbled for words. "I-I don't know. Yes…to both? Look, there's living in the moment and then there's rushing into disaster. I don't want to screw anything up."

"Trust me. Telling Liam you're in love with him won't screw up a thing," Silver declared. Annie frowned, but before she could ask for further explanation regarding her confidence in Liam's feelings, she looked away, her attention focused on the horizon where the black water met the blacker sky. "This is way too deep for a Saturday night in the middle of August, but if I learned anything from losing my mom, it's that you can't wait for the perfect moment. You'll always find a reason to talk yourself out of it – whatever _it _is. Obviously, Liam's not dying, but still…believe me, I know what I'm talking about."

Annie bit her lip and stared at her friend. Under the glow of the stars, she could see tears shining in Silver's eyes. She was right, Annie knew. The only real reason she hadn't confronted Liam about whether he was staying or going was fear, plain and simple. She tried to imagine what it would be like if tomorrow he called her and announced that that afternoon he was leaving forever. Panic gripped her and a hundred different things flashed through her brain, how much she was in love with him being only one. She wanted to go night surfing with him again and maybe help him build another boat. And she really did want to learn how to drive his car, or at least a car like his. Sure, Dixon could probably teach her, but she wanted to learn from Liam. She wanted to run into him at her locker between classes and sit with him at lunch. All the stupid little things couples did. Arriving at a sudden decision, she leapt to her feet, wobbling slightly as the motion of the yacht disturbed her equilibrium.

"You're right," Annie said in response to Silver's questioning look. "You're absolutely right. I can't put this off anymore. I have to tell him…ask him, whatever."

"What, you mean like now?" her friend asked, eyeing her more and more like she was certifiably insane. "I didn't mean you had to do it right this second. I mean…damn. This is big. Finish your drink at least."

Annie barely listened. Now that she'd decided upon a plan of action she wanted to act. Turning to leave, she grabbed her drink at the last second and downed the entire thing in three large gulps. Winking at Silver, she handed her the glass. "Liquid courage."

"There really isn't that much alcohol in this," Silver said, scrambling to her feet with both glasses in hand and following Annie back into the main cabin. Heavy club music blasted from the cleverly concealed speakers, making her entire body pulse as she scanned the crowd. Mr. Anti-Social, Liam would either be alone or hanging out with Teddy. She found them on the opposite side of the cabin. Of course. Sighing, she began to push her way through the tightly packed clusters of her classmates. Some tried to say hello and strike up a conversation, but Annie ignored them. Why not give them two things to talk about since she'd felt their eyes on her all evening after she arrived with Liam. No doubt the same idle curiosity she would feel at the sight of a new couple, but it still made her uncomfortable.

The acoustics dampened the music slightly in the corner where Liam and Teddy were talking to people she might have recognized if she hadn't been so focused. Despite her mission, the way Liam's eyes lit up when he saw her turned her insides to mush. When she was close enough, he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her close to be heard. "Having fun?"

"I need to talk to you," she explained. Swallowing, she fought the sudden rush of nerves trying to make her doubt her intentions. "Now."

"Is something wrong?" he asked, the smile leaving his face.

"Just come with me," she insisted, aware of Teddy's confusion and Silver's appraisal as the couple watched them. Grabbing his hand, Annie didn't wait for more questions, and began pulling Liam through the crowd, leaving their friends behind.

"What the heck was that?" Teddy wondered when Annie and Liam disappeared out onto the deck.

Silver sighed. "That…was my fault, I think. Although, if it goes well, I'm totally taking credit."

"Oh, I can't wait to hear this one," he laughed and crossed his arms expectantly. Making a face at the two glasses in her hands, Silver deposited them on a nearby table and leaned in close to her boyfriend.

"Liam hasn't told Annie whether or not he's staying in Beverly Hills and Annie's been too scared to ask," she explained. "I may have told her suck it up and seize the day."

"Seriously?"

"Well, not in those exact words, but yeah," she shrugged. For once, Silver was supremely confident in her advice, especially considering she had insider knowledge that Liam was just as in love with Annie as she was with him. Still, she hadn't really expected her to react so quickly. "I also told her to quit waiting for the perfect moment and just tell him she loves him."

Teddy whistled. "I'm impressed."

"What do you mean?"

"Last we talked about it, you were against the whole idea of Liam and Annie being together," he explained. "What changed?"

"Nothing, I think they're both nuts."

"Silver," he slipped both arms around her waist and surprised her with a kiss. "I know you're really a hopeless romantic, so come on. What changed?"

"Don't tell anybody that, you'll ruin my rep," she ordered, giving in and melting into the embrace. With a heavy sigh she admitted the cold hard truth. "I was wrong."

"And you even admit it."

"Be nice or I won't tell," she teased, pulling back just enough to fix him with a mock glare. "Anyway, when I talked to Liam at the hospital, he made me believe him. It's as simple as that. I still think they're inviting a catastrophe on themselves when Naomi finds out, but it's kind of hard to argue whether the guy who took a bullet for his girlfriend is devoted enough."

"So, Liam had to get shot for you to believe he really cares about Annie?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Silver grinned, pulling Teddy in for another kiss.

At first, when Annie had led them to the upper deck of the yacht, Liam had been merely curious about this important something she had to share with him. Unfortunately, no sooner were the words "Okay, the reason I brought you here" out of her mouth when a couple making out on one of the deck chairs came up for air long enough to tell her to shut the hell up. At that, Annie did them one better, dragging Liam back down the same flight of stairs all along the side of the ship to the railing that curved around the bow of the boat.

Now, as she once again groped for the words to deliver her momentous announcement, he couldn't help being annoyed. What could possibly be that difficult to discuss with him? They'd been hanging out for months and talked about everything imaginable. Finally, she drew a deep breath, but before she could even utter a word, one of Teddy's teammates pushed between them and spewed what had to be an entire keg into the ocean. Rolling his eyes, Liam grabbed Annie's hand and led her this time toward the stern, curious, annoyed and now a little freaked out. Something big must have happened in the short time they'd been on the boat. He wasn't sure how that was possible, but their last trip on this yacht hadn't gone all that well and considering their track record, he supposed he needed to learn to expect the worst.

As far back as they could go, Liam planted his feet, forcing Annie to do the same. This time when she opened her mouth to speak, Liam held a finger to her lips. "Wait just a minute," he ordered, scanning both the starboard and aft walkways for any interruptions. When a solid thirty seconds had passed - a twenty second improvement on how long they'd lasted at the other locations - he dropped his hand and gave her his full attention. "Okay, we're alone. What the hell is going on?"

Moonlight glinted off her hair in flecks of red while a soft breeze lifted it from her shoulders. The bruises on her face had faded so much he couldn't even see them in the dim light. Eyes wide and luminous, his frustration with her took a fatal blow as he was struck by her vulnerable beauty. She swallowed, visibly nervous and licked her lips, a tantalizing flick of the tongue that distracted him from her first words. "Liam, I was talking to Silver and…she made me realize that I've been wasting time I might not have."

Once he gathered his wits enough for her words to sink in, he was back to being confused. "Okay," he said slowly.

"So, there's something I need to tell you," she said, squaring her shoulders and doing her best to look him in the eye. "I-I've already put it off too long and I don't want to-."

"So, spit it out already," he urged, gripping her shoulders. "Before someone interrupts us again."

"I love you," she breathed in a rush with her eyes closed. Still blind, she took a step toward him and grabbed his shirt like an anchor. Suddenly, he was aware of the faint tremors running through he body. "Liam, I'm completely in love with you."

Stunned beyond coherent thought, he could only stare at her as she clung to him now with both hands. The beating of his heart against his ribs drowned out the rest of the night sounds around them. Of all the things he might have anticipated, nothing prepared him for that revelation. "That-that's what you needed to tell me?"

Annie nodded, her eyes still closed and spoke so softly he almost couldn't hear. "Yes."

"Oh, man. I-I'm sorry, I thought…I don't know what I thought," he shook his head, still in shock - a state he'd most likely be in for a long time. God, he was a jackass. He'd practically shaken the confession from her. Dropping his chin to his chest, he muttered a curse. She wouldn't meet his eye. "Annie…hey, look at me."

Slowly and with obvious effort, she lifted her head and stared pointedly at a spot no higher than his throat. Even in the moonlight, he could see her blush and because she hated her tell, Liam had never let her know how adorable he found it. Meeting her halfway, he stooped so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. Even then, her eyes moved restlessly over his face as she bit her lip. Taking a deep breath, he matched her confession, something he'd only told one other person and even then it was nothing compared to what he felt now. "I love you, too."

"Really?" she asked, finally looking at him for more than two seconds, her expression exultant for a moment before once again turning shy and even slightly suspicious. "Because you don't have to say it just because I did. That's not why I told you."

"You think I'm the kind of guy who'd say something like that if he didn't mean it?" he raised a brow. "Seriously, Annie, you've got to quit thinking I'm so noble."

"Says the guy who saved my life and took a bullet for me," she countered, busying herself with buttoning and unbuttoning the three buttons at the top of his shirt. He stilled both her hands with his own.

"I really do, Annie," he promised, praying she would believe him. Leave it to him to potentially screw up a moment like this. "I love you."

A grin bloomed slowly on her lips and the vice around his heart loosened. Scrunching up her face, she asked. "Could you maybe say it again?"

Relief, pure and sweet, was a heady aphrodisiac. "I can do better than that," he promised, dragging a kiss from her soft, full lips. She tasted sweet and he couldn't help nipping at the pliant flesh with his teeth before he whispered. "I love you."

"Mmm, I could get really used to hearing that," she sighed happily, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for another scorching kiss. This time, she offered him more than just a taste and Liam gladly accepted. Gripping the railing, he trapped her snuggly between his arms, pressing her back against the whitewashed bar. For a long while he contented himself with the pleasures of her mouth while, but eventually the exposed skin of her neck beckoned him, specifically the spot just below her ear.

Working his way along her jaw with dizzying open mouthed kisses, his efforts were rewarded with little gasp from Annie that made something low and primal within him clench. Not to be outdone, her hands threaded through his hair, encouraging him by dragging her nails along his scalp. Unable to suppress a moan of pleasure and nearly undone, he dropped his head to her shoulder.

Annie wasn't content to let the moment end there. Framing his face, she brought his mouth back to hers and she wasted no time proving she could be devastatingly seductive with her lips and tongue. While he lost himself in the kiss, his hands left the rail, roaming down her back. One slipped beneath the waistband of the short black shorts that showed off a delicious amount of bare, sun-kissed skin that had been enticing him all night. The other pushed up the billowy blue tank top, exposing a wide expanse of flesh to the cooling night air. She hissed a little at the sudden difference in temperature, arching into him. They were closer now, but not close enough.

Giving in to a desire that had been toying with him since he picked her up that evening and got the first glimpse of what she was wearing, he dragged his hand slowly down the underside of her bare thigh, the skin smooth and hot to the touch. She shuddered noticeably in his arms, but he knew he could do better. Deliberately trying to elicit further reaction, he hitched her knee up to his hip, bringing her flush against him, as close as they could get considering all the clothing separating them.

Annie squealed in surprise, but to her credit didn't miss a beat and rose on her toe to wrap her leg around his waist, kissing him harder. Pressing her fully against the railing, the onslaught of sensation continued and his body began to pulse in response. God, she felt good, responding to him with abandon. Minutes passed, the only sound on the deck that of their tortured breathing while the tension mounted. What had started as quest to convince her of his feelings had morphed in a very short time to something else entirely. Liam wasn't sure when the mood had shifted from playful to intensely serious, but he'd never been harder in his life.

"Annie," he began, breaking the kiss but staying otherwise still. His chest was heaving, as was hers and she gazed up at him with blinking, unfocused eyes. Resting his forehead against hers, he tried to remember why he'd stopped kissing her. Oh yeah, he was about two seconds away from pealing her clothes off and taking her down to the polished deck.

"There's a cabin on this yacht, right" Annie said, her swollen lips an incredible distraction. "A bedroom, I mean."

Liam shook his head, struggling to focus on the odd question. "Probably, yeah."

Swallowing, she closed her eyes and nodded. "Then let's go find it. Now."


	21. Chapter 21

_Author's Note: Although it is not specified due to my own choice as an author it is my intention that Annie and Liam are not idiots and therefore used protection. Thank you. ;p_

Chapter 21

Annie's heart pounded furiously in her chest as she clung to Liam's hand and wove through the smaller crowd of party goers occupying the lounge on the lower level. The music that had made conversation difficult upstairs made it impossible here. Base vibrated through the walls, floor and furniture, working its way into Annie's body until her already racing pulse throbbed and blood rushed in her ears. She couldn't think and didn't want to, the only desire driving her being the need to finish what she and Liam had started upstairs.

Just past the bar a short hallway extended into darkness. Liam didn't hesitate, moving past two tall, skinny doors directly to a wider, normal sized opening. Twisting the knob, he glanced over his shoulder, back into the lounge, and then ducked inside, pulling her along. Moonlight poured through an expansive picture window, illuminating rich mahogany woodwork, plush grey carpet, a seating area with overstuffed leather furniture and most importantly a king size bed framed by an ornate metal work headboard. Annie only had a second to register these luxury surroundings before Liam whirled around, his hands framing her face and pulled her mouth to his. Clutching at the open collar of his shirt, she returned the kiss with abandon, matching the demanding thrust of his tongue stroke for stroke.

When his hands left her face, they traveled slowly down the side of her body, brushing purposefully against her breasts. Her nipples tightened in response and when he gripped her hips, she needed no encouragement to arch into him, and wrapped her arms around his neck for better leverage. No matter what she did, she couldn't get close enough.

Liam had the solution. Without breaking the kiss, he shifted his grip sliding over her bottom to the back of her bare thighs and lifted her from the ground. In response, she wrapped her legs around his waist as he leaned into her, effectively pinning her against the door. The soft thunk of her shoes slipping off her feet and hitting the plush carpet registered on some level, but the sensation of being pressed so intimately against him stole her whole focus. The closed door muffled the music, but the base still pounded through her, further muddying her already lust addled brain.

When Liam broke the kiss, Annie whimpered in protest even as she gasped for much needed oxygen. Those whimpers quickly turned into a moan of pure pleasure as he focused his attention on the smooth column of her throat. Her head fell back against the door as his hands worked their way beneath her top, moving higher with agonizing slowness. Deliberately, he dragged his thumbs over the lace cups of her bra, arousing the hard buds to almost painful tightness. Gasping, she clutched at him. Heat bled through the cotton shirt where she held tightly to his broad shoulders and she wanted nothing more than to run her hands over the bare skin underneath.

"Take this off," she demanded, already dropping her hands to tug the hem up. Eager fingers danced across his muscled abdomen, making it clench.

Liam lifted his head, the moonlight playing right across impossibly blue eyes that glittered with desire. Lips curving, he nipped her bottom lip and offered a dare. "You first."

Annie's eyes widened at the challenge, but she tilted her chin and groped for the hem of her own shirt, pulling it over her head in one fluid motion. Her heartbeat pounded like thunder and this close she was certain Liam could hear it too. Bold and impulsive were two things that typically got her into serious trouble, but no matter how much she adored him, Liam could still push her buttons and she still loved to prove him wrong.

Letting her shirt flutter to the floor, she raised her brow expectantly, turning the dare back on him, but he was too busy admiring all the newly bare skin. The black lace bra stood out starkly against her tan as her chest rose and fell with every breath. The weight of his gaze made her squirm and yet she felt deliciously exposed. Lowering his head, he tasted the flesh along the edge of her bra, his tongue dipping below the lace to tease. Her hands moved to the back of his head of their own accord, urging him further, lower. The sensation traveled straight to her core, further awakening the aching need between her thighs.

"You're turn," she insisted in a gasp when she could catch her breath. Groping blindly, she tugged his shirt up and his arms left her just long enough for her to pull it over his head. Now it was her turn to admire and although it was hardly the first time she'd seen him without a shirt on, now in the dark and with a purpose far from innocent, she thrilled at it.

Liam carried her to the bed while she delighted in running her nails lightly down the sculpted planes of his chest. The grey satin comforter billowed as they fell against it. Eager to touch every inch of him with her bare hands, she moved to his back and discovered the deeper she sank her nails into his skin, the harder he kissed her. Threading the fingers of one hand through his hair, she tore her lips away and teased. "Does that mean you like that?"

Liam said nothing, but the curve of his lips spoke of secret promise and his hand slipped between their sweat slicked bodies and flicked the catch on her shorts. The mere anticipation of where he would go from there was enough to make Annie tremble and her core turning to liquid. She kept waiting for self consciousness to interfere and bring her focus to their vast difference in experience, but even purposely thinking about it failed to taint the moment. This was a game, one Liam started the first night they met, its natural progression culminating in these moments. He pushed her, she surprised him and he upped the ante. The only difference between that first night and now was that she knew he'd be there if she fell. She trusted him.

Slowly, so achingly slow it nearly drove her mad, he drew the zipper down and slipped her shorts off in one fluid motion. Clad now only in her black lace bra and matching panties, he made no secret of how much he appreciated the sight. For the first time that night he was in a position for her gaze to sink low enough so she could see the outline of him, pressing hard against his jeans. Her body pulsed in response and she tried to pull him closer, just to feel his solid weight flush against her practically naked body.

Her slight strength barely had any affect. Grinning wickedly at her, he slipped his arm under her shoulders, and shifted her closer. Hot breath fanned the side of her face as he whispered. "I think it's your turn."

No coherent retort would come to mind as she watched his hand creep beneath the black lace, his palm flat against her stomach. Her breath came in short gasps as he teased her, drawing out the anticipation until Annie thought she might pass out. Finally, he made contact with the throbbing bundle of nerves directly over her deliciously wet center. Much too quickly, his touch skirted lower and she whimpered in both protest and encouragement, her head falling back against his arm.

He toyed with her at first, stroking the tender flesh but going no deeper. By the time she felt one finger delve into her silken depths, her head was swimming from an overload of sensation and she cried out. Within seconds, she was rocking her hips in a slow, steady motion as the friction increased. Liam brought his mouth to hers, kissing her deeply until she pulled away and gasped as an intense wave of pleasure took her breath away. She felt rather than saw his smile, as he nuzzled her neck.

Annie couldn't last long under his skilled attentions and soon she came apart in his hands. For an endless and yet all too brief moment in time, she knew nothing but a near weightless bliss. Liam's arms, the only thing anchoring her to reality. Blindly, she searched for him and he found her with his mouth, eventually bringing her back to him.

Anything but sated, she hungrily groped for the button fly of his jeans and this time he made no move to impede her mission. In fact, the patience and restraint Liam had exhibited to this point had reached its limit and while she worked on pushing his jeans and boxers down his hips, he unhooked the clasp of her bra. Together, they divested themselves of the final articles of clothing standing as barriers between them.

As much as Annie wished to stop and admire him, the way Liam had taken his time with her, their bodies had other ideas. With her thought processes reduced to simple want and need, she discovered him by feel as he indulged her unspoken wish and stretched out over her, one bare leg wedged between hers. For several decadent minutes she devoured him with a kiss, fully exploring the impossibly seductive recesses of his mouth while her hands memorized every inch of skin she could reach.

When the tremors of barely repressed desire in Liam's body matched those of her own, Annie slipped her hand between them, her fingers closing around the length of him, stroking once, twice and watching his reaction with a mischievous smile. "Now I _know _you like that."

He managed a laugh before she squeezed gently and mirth became a groan as he dropped his head to the pillow they shared, burying his face in her hair. As obvious as his attraction for her was, she felt especially proud knowing she could illicit such a primal response. Wrapping her free hand around the back of his head, she coaxed him back to her. "No more turns. I just want you now."

"Good," he breathed, his chest heaving against hers as he tried to hang on to some control with her hand still fisted around him. "I'm out of games."

"Oh, I doubt that," she laughed, his wicked grin all the evidence she needed that they'd barely scratched the surface of Liam's tricks. One thing was undoubtedly certain. Naomi hadn't been lying when she said he was good with his hands.

Slowly, he eased into her, his eyes never leaving her face, even when she gasped and shuddered as she stretched to accommodate him. Experienced or not, she knew what felt good and she had never felt so alive as she did at that moment. Her entire being thrummed with energy and heat, everything seemed heightened. The pulse of the base in the lounge outside, the raspy drag of her breathing mixed with his, the intoxicating scent of their sweat and the taste of his kiss stood out on her mind in sharp relief. She never wanted the feeling to end.

Then their bodies were moving together and an entirely different flood of sensations swept through her, intensifying the connection. Liam's fingers threaded through hers, pinning both hands to the bed as he held himself above her. With his tongue, he scoured the depths of her mouth and she eagerly kissed him back. Something at the very core of her being wound tighter with each thrust of his hips. As the crescendo built within, Annie lost track of time. A week could have passed for all the grip she had on anything other than the feel of Liam's body against and inside hers.

She tried to wait for him, but when she shattered into a thousand blissful pieces she had no regrets. He was deep inside her as her body arched and his kiss swallowed her cry of completion. As she rode that wave of ecstasy, he increased the tempo of his thrusts and moments later followed her over the edge.

Later, when her heartbeat stopped reverberating through every nerve in her body and coherent thoughts once again formed in her mind, Annie stretched like a contented cat and rolled onto her side facing Liam. Propping her head on her fist, she marveled at the sweat slicked beauty of his sculpted upper body. When she finally had her fill - for the moment - of ogling the boy she was lucky enough to call her own, she looked up and found him just as intently watching her. Shaking her head, she bit her lip. "I can't believe we just did that."

"What? Had sex?" he grinned, slipping an arm around her naked waist and pulling her flush against him. She went willingly, curling into his sweat dampened skin. His lips grazed her temple and he murmured. "Pretty sure it happened. I was there."

"No, I mean here, on Teddy's dad's yacht with half the school on the other side of that door," she giggled self consciously.

"Kinda makes it more fun, doesn't it?"

Annie felt the blush creep up her cheeks even as she teased right back. "I don't know. I don't have as much experience as you. We'll have to try it somewhere private. Just to compare."

"Sounds good to me," he agreed, burying his fingers in her hair and coaxing her closer.

"It better," she murmured, mere seconds before succumbing to a slow, lazy kiss that completely short circuited her brain. Wanting better access, she shifted until she was completely on top of him, her tousled hair a curtain shielding them from the world. She couldn't remember ever feeling this good, completely sated and at ease, her body alive and fluid like liquid fire. Kissing him was addictive, but sex was something else entirely. A part of her wished they had slept together a year ago. The experience alone would have made the hell that followed almost worth it.

What felt like only seconds later, something large and solid collided with the bedroom door. Annie jumped and automatically looked over her shoulder, her stomach twisting in anticipation of someone bursting in and catching them. Of course no one did. The door was locked. The disturbance was probably nothing more than one of her drunken classmates seeking out the bathroom. Chagrined, but sighing with relief, she dropped her head to Liam's chest only to discover he was shaking with laughter.

"You okay?" he asked, running his fingers through her hair. "We could shove a chair under the door in case someone tries to bust it."

"Shut up," she ordered, giggling despite barely being able to look him in the eye. Once again her skin felt hot and this time at least it wasn't solely due to arousal. "I hate you."

"You know, when you blush like that," he murmured, ignoring her petulant retort and caressing her cheek. "You're whole body turns pink. I always wondered."

Embarrassment forgotten, she lifted her head fully and eyed him skeptically. "You did?"

"Oh yeah," he nodded, sweeping his thumb over her swollen and tender lips, utterly mesmerized. "Since the first night we met."

His voice was low and rough, pitched perfectly to set her nerves ablaze. At that moment she could have melted into him and given away how completely he could undo her. Somehow, she found the strength to hold his gaze, despite the dangerous heat emanating from his icy blue eyes. Propping her chin on her hand, she lifted an eyebrow. "Is that why you asked me out?"

Grinning, he looked at the ceiling, remembering. "Maybe. Really, I think I asked you out just to see how you'd react. I wanted to know if you were as cool as you pretending to be."

"Ha! Now you know the incredibly spastic truth," she laughed.

"You had me figured out from minute one," he shrugged. "You knew I was completely full of it."

"Not completely," she disagreed. Liam had more than proven he wasn't all talk, but she was continually surprised to discover how vulnerable he really was under the ultra thick exterior of indifference. "What if I'd said yes?"

Now it was his turn to laugh. "I don't know what I would have done."

"Because of Naomi."

"No, because you never would have let me get away with half the crap I pulled with Naomi," he explained with a shake of his head. Turing introspective, he wrapped a tendril of her hair around his finger, studying the way the moonlight played off the silky strands. He spoke carefully. "I don't think I was ready for someone who…"

"Who what?" she prompted when he hesitated.

"Who made me want to be better," Liam replied, striving for casual, but he couldn't quite look her in the eye. Annie swallowed, understanding how much the confession cost him. By now, she knew him well enough to understand that he constantly felt like he was failing, always missing the mark. She wished she could convince him she wanted him exactly as he was. A little bit wild, a little bit dangerous but completely solid, his honesty all the more devastating because she knew only certain people were allowed to see it.

"You don't give yourself enough credit," she said softly, brushing his hair off his forehead, then threading her fingers through the dark strands to pull him in for another kiss. This one meant to convey everything she felt for him and make him believe that no matter what his stepfather said, he _had _changed.

Annie's mission was interrupted by another loud crash against the door. Once again she jumped, only slightly less startled this time. Instantly, the delicate mood was broken.

"Oh my god, seriously?"

Liam laughed. "We better get out of here before you have a heart attack."

"You're enjoying this way too much," she muttered, rolling onto her back and clutching the sheet to her chest. With unabashed appreciation, she watched him slip back into his boxers and jeans. Moonlight played over the healing wound on his side, but couldn't detract from the perfection of his muscled upper body. Until tonight she would never have believed his lower half could live up to the standard. Closing her eyes, she snuggled into the pillows, determined to commit every second of the past two hours to memory. After only a few moments, something soft hit her face and the mattress dipped.

"Am I going to have to drag you out of this bed?" Liam teased, having thrown her tank top at her and crawled across the king sized bed. Planting a fist on either side of her, he leaned in, achingly close to her waiting mouth, but refusing to make contact. Whimpering in protest, she blindly sought out his lips and he enticed her all the way to a seated position before giving her what she wanted.

"Why not? You dragged me into it," she pointed out with a smirk when they came up for air.

"You came willingly," he pointed out with a smirk. "Twice if I remember right."

Annie gasped and grinned. Kissing him again, she searched for her bra and panties on the side of the bed. It took effort, but she ignored her self consciousness as she slipped them on, fully aware of his eyes on her. He'd seen absolutely ever inch of her, there was no point in being shy now.

Unable even now to suppress her smile of satisfaction and happiness, her top and shorts were quickly found. Not until she was groping under the disheveled comforter for her shoes on the floor at the foot of the bed did cold hard reality slap her abruptly in the face. In the frenzy of confessing her love and the whirlwind of their liaison, she'd completely forgotten about the other half of Silver's demands.

Rising slowly to her feet, she slipped her shoes on and cleared her throat. Once again, the familiar thunder of her heart echoed in her head, but this time there was no thrill of sexual energy behind it. She tucked her hair behind her ear and cleared her throat. "Liam?"

"Yeah?" he replied, pulling his shirt over his head. Her features must have painted a picture of sudden despair because instantly he demanded. "What's wrong?"

"Are you staying?" she asked without preamble, her voice a shell of the confidant girl she'd been only moments before. "Or are you leaving?"

Liam hesitated and in that silence Annie knew. Her stomach dropped to her feet and she couldn't breathe. Truthfully, she'd always known. From the moment she realized he'd told her about the charges being dropped, but nothing about his future in Beverly Hills, her brain understood what her heart kept hoping steadfastly against. Jeffery hadn't relented, even in the face of proof and at the price Liam's blood.

He took a step toward her, but if he touched her she'd lose it. So, she purposefully moved out of reach and started pulling up the sheets to make the bed. Tears burned at her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. She heard Liam's sigh. "Annie-."

"When?" she demanded, the word clipped and sharp.

"I don't know," he replied. "I have to have a clean bill of health before they take me."

Annie's hands stilled over the now perfectly smooth sheets. "You're almost healed."

"I know."

"Where?" she asked, just barely clinging to control of her emotions.

Liam was quiet for a long time and when he spoke, she was startled at how close he'd come. With a low voice that bled apology and sorrow, he tossed one of the pillows at the headboard and spoke. "Upstate Maine."

Stunned despite thinking she was beyond shock, Annie let the silky comforter slip from her fingers. Maine. Liam might as well be sent to another planet. It was all so absurdly horrific, she couldn't help the hysterical bubble of laughter that escaped her throat. Covering her face with her hands, her control broke and the giggles became sobs. Liam wouldn't let her avoid him any longer, grabbing her shoulder and gently pulling her into his arms.

Annie accepted the comfort gratefully, burying her face against his chest. Despite the violent trembling of her body, few tears came. Almost as if she knew on some level that no amount of crying would provide catharsis for this disaster. Even so, she clung to him as if she might lose him any second.

"I should have told you, I'm sorry," Liam said as he held her.

"Why didn't you?" she sniffed, pressing her face more tightly against his chest.

"I… couldn't. Telling you, telling anybody, meant it was real," he confessed, his hand massaging the back of her neck, fingers buried deep in her hair. If she hadn't been so upset he could have made her purr.

"Did you try to change your step dad's mind?" she pressed, grasping for any stone that hadn't been turned.

"Of course," he insisted. "I practically begged him, offered to do anything he wanted."

Pulling away finally, she stared up at him incredulous. "And he didn't take you up on that? _I_ know it kills you to ask him for anything, he must know, too. Why didn't he jump at the chance to have you owe him?"

Liam said nothing. Instead of looking at her, he stared over her head at the wall, jaw clenched. Annie's eyes narrowed. "What? What did he say?"

"I…it's nothing. It's beyond stupid. I won't do it."

Reeling, she pushed him away and stumbled to the window. The rocking of the boat was minimal, but enough to throw her off balance if she wasn't paying attention, which at the moment she was too angry to do. Bracing her hand on the window sill, she turned back to him, furious. "Jeffery gave you an out and you didn't take it?"

"Annie-."

"If it were me, there is nothing I wouldn't do to stay here with you," she declared. A part of her wondered if she'd regret that desperate bit of honesty, but her walls were down. There was nothing left protecting her from Liam. He could break her heart without even trying now if he so chose.

"You don't know what he asked me to do," he argued, eyes blazing and she caught a glimpse of his temper, felt it directed at her for the first time since the beach when she first told him about her plan for Jasper.

"Then tell me," she demanded, unafraid as her own temper fueled her daring. "Tell me what's so horrible that you'd be willing to leave someone you just said you loved to avoid it."

Liam shook his head in disbelief, bracing his hands on his hips. Annie waited, deciding right then not to speak again until he confessed. Finally, he scoffed. "Fine. Jeffery wants me to use you to set him up with your mom. He says if I do that, I can stay."

Shock dissolved her anger in an instant. "W-what?"

"You heard me," Liam ground out through clenched teeth.

Annie heard something alright, but she couldn't believe it to be true. "Jeffery wants a date with my mom in exchange for your freedom?"

"Yup," Liam nodded. "It sounds just as fucking stupid coming out of your mouth as it did his."

"And you said no," she prompted, half question, half statement.

"Of course I said no," Liam snorted. "Actually, I think my exact words were 'go to hell.' Annie, I swear, it never even crossed my mind to do it. I would never use you, or your mom, like that."

"I know," she assured him absently, her mind racing. It was ridiculous. Absolutely absurd. There was no possible way it would work. Vividly, she recalled her mother flirting with Jeffery at the courthouse, then her humiliation and distaste when she discovered he was a married man. Maybe… "You should do it."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm serious, Liam," Annie insisted, nodding to herself as details clicked into place. "We can make this work."

"Annie, are you…are you crazy?" he demanded, staring at her with wide eyes like he'd never heard anything more insane in his life. "Why would you want your mom anywhere near my step dad?"

"Oh, I don't," she assured him, closing the distance between them and laying a hand on his arm. A smile crept over her features. "I don't want _your_ mom anywhere near him."

"Yeah, well. That makes two of us."

"So, let's do something about it."

Liam searched her upturned face, illuminated by the moonlight. Something he saw made him groan and shake his head. "Oh no. You've got another plan, don't you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I know that look," he said, sweeping her hair behind her ear, letting his fingertips linger on her skin. "I saw it when you told me you wanted to set up Jasper and look how that turned out."

"The charges were dropped!"

"And I got shot," he reminded her needlessly with disbelieving laugh.

"Yeah, well…I'm pretty sure Jeffery won't think to bring a gun on a date with my mom," Annie pointed out. "He's a skeeze, not insane."

Faced with that bit of logic, Liam could only stare at her. She could see him struggling and held her breath as he debated with himself. He had to agree to this, she couldn't go behind his back and force his hand like with Jasper. Finally, he closed his eyes, shoulders slumping in defeat. "I'm gonna regret this, but…what's the plan?"

In a burst of wild enthusiasm, Annie actually jumped off the floor and kissed him. Eyes shining, she revealed her very simple idea. "We tell my mom. Everything. She plays along and… blows the date or something so Jeffery will think it just didn't work out. You keep up your end of the bargain and stay."

"Why would your mom agree to this?"

Truthfully, Annie didn't know that she would, but she was pretty certain she had the perfect angle to play. "When she found out Jeffery was married, she was humiliated. She's going through a divorce. Adulterers aren't all that high on her list right now. Plus, I think she'll be just as upset as I am that you're step dad is manipulating you."

"Annie, this is crazy," Liam insisted, although without much conviction.

"I won't do it unless you're with me," she promised. "I may be crazy, but I learned my lesson with Jasper."

He grinned at that, and put both hands on her hips, pulling her a little closer. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

"Liam," she admonished. "Don't try to change the subject. Are you staying or not?"

He took an excruciatingly long time to think about it. Looking past her at the floor, his lips pressed into a tight line and made the dimple on his right cheek stand out. She clutched his arms tightly, her lip caught between her teeth as she held her breath. Finally, she couldn't hold back. "Liam?"

"Staying," he said, his still wary expression melting slowly into a grin as he kissed her before she could do anything but pull in a much needed gulp of air. Just a little while ago, she would have sworn she knew every way Liam could kiss her, but apparently he lived to prove her wrong. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she sank happily into the connection, the weight around her neck loosened, if not yet fully gone. His mouth moved on her, pulling so deep she swore it touched her very soul.

When they pulled apart, he whispered breathlessly. "If we don't get out of here, we'll end up right back in that bed."

Tempting, oh so tempting, but Annie managed to extricate herself from the warm circle of his embrace. "We've been gone for hours. If we don't get back, Silver will think we've fallen overboard."

"And she'll probably have Teddy call the coastguard or something," Liam rolled his eyes as she tugged him toward the door. With a twist of the knob, the lock popped and she pulled the door open a crack. Music blasted into the formerly quiet space. Whatever had been crashing into it earlier was gone. The hallway was cloaked in empty darkness. Slipping outside, Liam pulled her up short just past the threshold.

"No matter what happens," he promised lips against her ear just to be heard. "I'm not leaving Beverly Hills. If this doesn't work, I'll figure something out."

Annie turned to him, her smile matching the brilliant beating of her heart. Automatically, without a second's hesitation, she uttered three little words. "I love you."


	22. Chapter 22

_AN: I had a request for more from Liam's POV. So, I hope this was worth the wait. If not, don't worry. There's more to come. ;p _

Chapter 22

Even in Beverly Hills, the afternoon sun in late August was depressing. As the days grew shorter, the light seemed to thicken, casting everything in a dull orange glow that reminded Liam of the fire that destroyed his boat. Thinking about the explosion still made him sick. Aside from his car, the boat had been the only other possession he valued, physically embodying his attempt to transform into the type of person his mother and step father demanded he become. Liam smirked grimly as he twisted the wheel of the GTO and came to a stop in front of Annie's house. The fact that the boat went up in flames should have clued him in as to how pointless all that effort had been.

Killing the engine, he crossed his arms over the steering wheel and stared at the picturesque house. The Wilson's home was a mere cottage compared to the ostentatious mansion in which he lived. When he was younger, right after his dad bailed on them and he and his mother had to move into a cramped, one room apartment, Liam had fantasized about a home like Annie's. One with a yard and a second floor where he could have his own room with both parents down the hall. Life didn't wait long to show him that reality never lived up to fantasy, no matter what the ideal. Even before his mother married Jeffery, Liam figured out that two parents and a big house didn't make up for a workaholic father or a mother who drank her breakfast late in the afternoon before meeting her tennis coach lover at some posh country club. At the wise age of twelve, he'd washed his hands of adults and the problems they caused. Why the hell should he follow rules created by people who didn't even follow them?

For four years that argument justified every fight, every party, every arrest, every drug he tried and every beer he drank. In less than a minute he'd size up a person he'd just met and determine how much of his time, effort and consideration they were worth. Generally, they weren't worth much, so he didn't care how he used or hurt them, or if they let him down. Rely on no one, trust no one, that was his motto and it served him well. Until he moved to Beverly Hills. Maybe all the sun bleached his brain or weakened his thick emotional armor, Liam couldn't say, but suddenly there he was, letting Naomi in, trusting her with his secrets. When he thought it had blown up in his face, he tried to rebuild, reinforce, but it was too late. He cared.

The hippie wilderness bootcamp did little to change his opinion that people – adults especially – in general sucked. He didn't come out of it with a new respect for authority or walking the straight and narrow. He didn't realize the moral error of his ways. Liam did, however, exhaust his punishment threshold. If staying out of trouble meant no more ten mile hikes through the freaking enchanted forest at 0400 hours every morning, then stay out of trouble, he would. He had no doubt in his mind Jeffery would ship him off in a second if he didn't. More importantly, though, Liam couldn't deal with the onslaught of guilt he felt for hurting someone he cared about. Naomi was bad enough, but having an entire summer to contemplate the hell he'd put his mother through all his life - that had proven nearly unbearable. So for the sake of his freedom and Colleen's feelings, he'd simply…stopped.

"For all the good it did me," he muttered, mind churning through the past year and how all the progress he'd made had been little more than a façade that had crumbled under the strain of one night. A single night that had brought him closer to Annie, easily the best thing that had ever happened to him, while at the same time landing him in more trouble than he thought possible. Still, even though he was about to go against every instinct he had and put his future in Debbie's hands, Liam wouldn't change a single thing about that night. Annie meant too much to him. Knowing this was for her, so he could stay in Beverly Hills and they could be together, made what he had to do now easier to stomach.

Groaning, he leaned back in the seat, letting his head fall against the headrest. This would be so much easier if he were Teddy or Navid, guys with reputations that didn't involve criminal charges or being forcibly removed from their homes by ex-marines. As much as he loved her, Annie didn't get it. To her, the idea was simply talking to Debbie and convincing her that the plan they'd concocted to scam Jeffery wasn't the stupidest thing she'd ever heard and could actually work. Liam looked at it differently. He had to convince the high school principal's wife that everything she may have heard about him wasn't a reason to seize the opportunity and permanently remove him from her daughter's life.

Already, he'd put Annie off twice and not because he didn't care if he stayed Beverly Hills like she sometimes suspected. He was simply afraid of finally laying it on the line and trusting an adult not to screw it up. Too much depended on convincing Debbie that he was worth saving and while the deadline for his pending banishment remained undefined it was easier to keep right on avoiding. Then yesterday, the deadline solidified. His doctor had pronounced the gunshot wound fully healed and cleared him for any and all physical activity. A clean bill of health, exactly the news Jeffery had been waiting to hear. He made one call and told Liam he had five days.

"Four now," he sighed, his gaze traveling up the perfectly manicured front lawn to the innocent looking house. Despite all the dangerous, thrill-seeking, crazy stunts he'd pulled, walking across that lawn and up to the picturesque front door made his palms sweat and a wave of nausea roll through him.

Eventually, however, Liam grew tired of drowning in his own circular, depressing thoughts. Grabbing the keys from the ignition, he climbed out of the car and steeled his nerves to face the inevitable. With each step, his heart thudded harder against his ribs and he made a mental promise that if he survived the next hour, he'd head out to the PCH and push the GTO until the needle was buried and the engine screamed. Nothing cleared his head like good, old-fashioned speed.

Approaching the front door like a normal person felt odd after an entire summer of sneaking around to the side of the house or simply meeting Annie on the beach. Dutifully, he faced the door like a normal human being. Just as he was about to hit the bell, the door flew open and Annie grabbed his arm, yanking him inside.

"Uh…hi?" he said as he stumbled over the threshold into the empty, shadowed entryway. Annie slammed the door behind him and flipped the lock. "What's going on?"

"I'm making sure you can't escape…easily," she replied, facing him with her arms crossed. Her mouth was set in a grim line as she glared at him pointedly.

"Escape?"

"Don't give me that innocent look. I know you too well," Annie warned, her dark eyes flashing even in the dim light. Keeping her voice low she advanced on him so she had to crane her neck to meet his eye. "I know you've been sitting out in your car for the past ten minutes trying to worm your way out of this _again. _Too bad. I'm not letting you."

Even though she was right, and very little about the situation amused him, Liam had to struggle to keep from smiling. Annie's frustration wasn't exaggerated, but her plan was absurd. Carefully, he tipped his toward the front door. "So, a door locked on the inside is going to keep me _inside_ if I don't want to be?"

"I'm making a point," she said defensively, poking at his chest for emphasis. "We've only got four days to -."

Gently grabbing her wrist, Liam stopped her words with his lips. Only too aware of how little time he had left with her, he wanted to make every second count. As much as he loved her passion and temper, even when directed at him, he'd much rather be doing this. Annie resisted at first, on principle, but with a soft sound of surrender that he was getting to know very well, she relaxed into the kiss. Small, delicate fingers crept over his shoulder to the back of his neck, urging him closer. Sighing as the tension melted and the tightness in his chest dissolved with the familiar relief that came every time they kissed, Liam let himself forget, just for a moment, how utterly screwed he was.

When he eventually pulled away, she lingered, eyes closed as she licked her lips and clung to him. "That's so not fair."

"Sure it is," he teased, trailing his hands down her spine to rest low on her back. "I win every argument."

Unable to fight the grin that lit up her face, she still shook her head and tried to scowl at him. "Someday it's not going to work."

"Yeah, well I won't hold my breath," he promised, leaning in to brush his lips quickly over hers once again. "I might die."

"Oh, you're so funny," she deadpanned, taking his hand and pulling him toward the kitchen. Liam's feet grew heavier with every step as dread pushed away the momentary lighthearted reprieve.

"Did you warn your mom at all?"

"Are you kidding?" Annie shook her head. "After the way this summer has gone she'd assume the worst. I'd probably get grounded again just for good measure."

With her hand firmly twined with his, Liam had little choice but to follow her through the kitchen into the dining room where Debbie was bent over a pile of papers. Considering the number of times he'd been thrown in front of authority figures and compelled to account for his actions, the flare of anxiety he now felt was as annoying as it was real. Glancing nervously at Annie, he swallowed and tightened his grip on her hand.

Annie went first. "Mom? Do you have a minute? Liam and I have something we want to talk to you about."

Debbie's pen froze mid signature, her head slowly lifted to reveal an expression filled with apprehension and mounting horror. Her gaze settled first on her daughter, then shifted to him before the color drained from her face and she closed her eyes. "Oh god. You're pregnant, aren't you."

Annie dropped his hand like it was on fire and he stifled a choked snort of completely inappropriate laughter with moderate success. He hadn't thought it possible, but Debbie just proved that the situation could, indeed, have been worse. Glancing at Annie, he saw cover her already bright red face with her hands as she groaned. "Oh…my god, mom! No! No, I am not pregnant," Her gaze didn't quite reach his as she muttered under her breath. "See what I mean? Worst case scenario."

"You're not," Debbie repeated, eyeing both of them skeptically. Liam shoved his hands in his pockets and did his best to appear nonthreatening. "You're sure."

"Definitely," Annie insisted, with a quick nod, her color only marginally fading back to normal. "Can we move on?"

Relaxing visibly, Debbie pushed the papers away and leaned back in the straight backed chair. "Please. What's going on?"

"Well, it's like this," Annie began, pulling out the chair closest to her mother. With less enthusiasm, Liam followed suit, his nerves making the ordinarily perfectly comfortable chair feel like some medieval torture device digging into his spine. She nudged him. "Liam. Tell her."

Casting her a withering look, Liam swallowed and cleared his throat. "Um…okay. I don't…really know where to start."

"The beginning is usually a good place," Debbie pointed out, managing a smile although she still seemed wary.

The beginning. At this point, Liam wasn't sure he knew where to find the beginning. So many different transgressions had built up against him since his mother married Jeffery that he didn't know if he was being sent away for stealing the coins, beating up Jasper or just because he'd screwed up one time too many. Opting to skip the details, he laid it out for her in the simplest terms possible. "My step dad wants to send me to military school in Maine. Annie thinks you can help."

"She does?" Debbie raised her brows and looked at her daughter. "What is it you think I can do?"

"Mr. Sarkosian made Liam a deal," Annie explained. "He can stay in Beverly Hills if …if he sets his step dad up with you."

"'Set's him up?' As in a…date?" Debbie begged clarification, justifiably incredulous.

Liam grimaced and managed a nod, unable to meet Debbie's eye. He couldn't believe he was actually going through with this ridiculous plan. "Yeah."

Debbie opened her mouth to speak, apparently thought better of it and closed it again. After a moment she suggested. "I think you better try that beginning one more time."

Taking a deep breath, Liam ignored the voice in his head screaming at him to run now while he still had some pride and took a moment to gather his thoughts. "My step dad and I don't get along. At all. For the past year, though, I've really tried to stay under his radar. Stay out of trouble. I was managing okay until I caught him cheating on my mom," he began, with a glance at Annie. That day had marked the first civil conversation they'd had in months, but the significance had gotten lost in his battle with Jeffery. Briefly, he wondered where they'd be that day if she hadn't accepted his peace offering of a ride home.

She gave him a small smile of encouragement, and he delved into the aftermath of his initial confrontation with Jeffery and eventual moving out when Colleen did absolutely nothing in response. Somehow he managed to explain why he moved back in without mentioning Naomi, but then he was at the part of the story he hated the most. His cheeks were hot as he looked down at his hands and he had to clear his throat twice to get the words out. "Then my real dad showed up and like an idiot I trusted him. I thought I had an out, away from Jeffery, so I swiped some of his precious coin collection to get the money we needed for a new start. My dad, of course, took the money and ran."

"Liam, I'm so sorry," Debbie offered with genuine concern.

"It's…whatever. I'm over it," he shrugged, mostly telling the truth. As long as he didn't think about it for more than five seconds, the fact that his father was a bastard didn't bother him anymore. "My dad's been bailing on me my whole life. This time he just left me holding the bag."

Eager to move beyond the painful memory of his own father's ambivalence, he continued. "I planned to tell Jeffery about the coins the night Jasper set my boat on fire and I got arrested. So, when he bailed me out you can imagine how well that went over," he continued, sure that Debbie was just as thrilled as he was to remember that horrific night. "When the charges were dropped, I thought I might have a chance, but Jeffery didn't care. He's still got me for stealing the coins. I offered to pay him back, to do anything so I could stay. That's when he offered me the deal."

"Right. The one involving me," she mused, propping her chin on her hand. "So, let me get this straight. Your stepfather says he'll allow you to stay if…"

"If Liam can set him up with you," Annie finished, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, it doesn't get any less ridiculous the more you say it."

"Has it crossed your mind that he might just be messing with you?" Debbie asked.

The idea hadn't just crossed his mind, it had taken up residence on the forefront of his thoughts. Liam nodded. "I kind of hope he is, but I don't have any other options. I want to stay here."

"Why?"

"Why? What do you mean?" he asked blankly, knowing exactly what she wanted to know and why she asked.

"Well, from what you've just told me, you fought against coming here with everything you had," Debbie observed. Looking pointedly at her daughter, she asked again. "Why do you want to stay now?"

Liam felt the familiar combative kick that always reared its head under the judgment of authority. Annie didn't understand, but these were the moments that got him into trouble and he'd known he'd have to face one with Debbie. The same distrust he always saw in adults who knew him by reputation only was evident in the grim line of her mouth and the slight narrowing of her eyes. His track record proved that this was the moment he usually gave up, either by simply walking away or saying something to bring about the inevitable. The judge and jury had already found him guilty, why bother offering a defense when he could skip right to the executioner and get it over with.

But this was different. Annie made it different and he was coming to realize that there was very little he couldn't or wouldn't do when she was involved. Swallowing his pride, he looked Debbie in the eye and told her the absolute truth. Strangely, of everything he had to confess tonight, the thing that made him most vulnerable, his feelings for Annie, was the easiest to confess. "I have friends here. I'm going to be a senior this year. I don't want to leave my mom and…I don't want to leave Annie."

She considered that, her face an unreadable mask. "Have you told her about any of this? Your mother, I mean."

Liam chuckled darkly and lifted a brow. "My mom backs Jeffery. She _believes _Jeffery. Every time. So, no. I didn't see the point."

"Will you do it, mom?" Annie spoke up from her long silence. "Please?"

"You hated seeing me flirt with him and now you want me to date him?" Debbie raised a skeptical brow. "A married man, at that."

"Not date, just _a _date. Singular," she explained, her fingers inching across the table, almost touching his hand. "And if it means Liam can stay, then yeah. I want you to do it."

Debbie sighed and spent several long minutes lost in thought. Despite his best efforts, Liam could feel tendrils of hope trying to pull him over from the fatalistic side. Debbie had no reason to agree, but the fact that she hadn't already shot them down was more than he'd expected.

"Liam, I feel for you, I do," Debbie began with a sympathetic shake of her head. Before her mother could utter one more word, Annie interrupted.

"Mom, remember how you felt when I told you _Jeffery _was married?"

Debbie blinked, taken aback and clearly uncomfortable. "Yes."

"Wouldn't you like to pay him back for misleading you?" she challenged.

"Annie," her mother sputtered as if the very idea that she'd stoop to something so petty was absurd.

"I know you'd love a little payback in return for the humiliation," she insisted, leaning over the table. "And if that's not enough reason, and Liam's not enough, think about this. If not for him, I'd probably be dead."

"Whoa, seriously, Annie," he interrupted, touching her shoulder and pulling her back in the chair. Going this route hadn't crossed his mind. Debbie's eyes were wide and the color had drained from her face.

"But it's true," she cried, knocking his warning hand away. Facing her mother, she continued in earnest, fearlessly using everything she had, no matter how explosive. "It's scary, but it's true. Liam saved my life, the least you can do is go on one stupid date with his step dad so he can stay in Beverly Hills."

"Come on, that's…that's got nothing do with this," he muttered, his gaze darting furtively toward Debbie.

"She has a point," Debbie said quietly, clearly not amused with her daughter's tactics but unable to refute them. Liam blinked at her in surprise. "I do owe you, Liam."

"No, you don't," he emphatically denied. The idea that what happened under that Pier, that his motivations would be used as a bargaining chip fanned the flames of his temper. "Nobody owes me for protecting Annie."

"Alright, then…but I haven't even thanked you," she allowed. Coming to a decision, she ripped a large corner off one of the pieces of paper before her and scribbled something on it. Folding it in half, she reached across the table and held it out to him. "So, here. Give this to your step dad. Thank you for saving my daughter's life."

Stunned, every tenet he'd lived by for most of his life crumbling before him, Liam stared the slip of paper with the ten digits that just might be his salvation. After a very long moment during which he acutely felt the weight of Annie's anxious gaze, he plucked it gingerly from Debbie's hand.

On a secluded bluff overlooking a breathtaking panorama of Pacific coastline, Annie sat on the hood of Liam's car watching the sunset. Reds, oranges and purples blended together in a display of beauty unlike anything she'd ever seen in Kansas. No matter how long she lived in Beverly Hills, she'd never grow tired of sights like this. The stunning landscape even managed to distract her from Liam's phone call.

"I don't really care what you do with it, as long as you keep your word," Liam ground out between clenched teeth. His pacing brought him closer to her end of the car for a moment, letting her hear a snippet of his conversation with Jeffery. Initially, he'd planned on waiting until the next morning to deliver her mother's number, but with his stepfather out of town for two more days on business he figured he might as well get it over with.

Once again, his quite, tense words drifted away as the pacing continued. Somehow she managed to reign in her own anxiety and not hover at Liam's side like an annoying puppy. Despite evidence to the contrary she hadn't enjoyed nagging him into talking to her mom. With a final growl of disgust, Liam ended the call and shoved his cell into his pocket. Silently, she watched him approach the edge of the bluff and hurl a crumpled piece of paper off the edge.

"How'd it go?" she asked, determined to keep desperation out of her voice.

Liam laughed, but without mirth. "Uh…well, I guess. He jumped at it. Just like I knew he would," he shook his head and slowly made his way back to the car to lean against the grill beside her. "I can't believe I just helped him cheat on my mother."

Annie hated that this was so hard for him, especially since at that moment she was so happy she was nearly bounced on the hood. Rather than throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him senseless, she threaded her arm through his and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Liam was silent for a moment and she could tell nothing from his rigid posture. She loyally despised his stepfather for putting him through this. Her parents had their faults. In fact at the moment she was more than a little pissed at both of them about the divorce, but she'd never had to question their concern for her or Dixon. They'd never used her like a pawn in some game.

"Don't be," he said, his shoulders finally relaxing. Annie lifted her head to find him looking at her with an expression that held pain and frustration but also a gleam of triumph to match the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I'm not."

Propping her chin on his shoulder, she couldn't help but grin. "Really?"

"Yeah," he promised. "I may hate it, but I'd do it again to stay…with you."

Annie's heart thrilled. "So it's official? You're staying?"

Liam's smile grew and he pushed off the car. With his hands still buried in his pockets, he faced her. "I'm staying. Jeffery's gonna call the school in Maine in the morning and tell them I'm not coming."

She expected a flood of relief upon hearing the confirmation and to a certain extent, got it. With a whoop of girlish glee, she jumped off the car and threw herself into Liam's arms. He caught her easily, returning the embrace with strong arms and a laugh that she felt as well as heard. One by one, they were diffusing the obstacles that had been hanging over their heads since the beginning of summer. Annie's grounding, Jasper, the charges against Liam… Now it seemed the last and by far most threatening was on the verge of collapse. The news was almost too good to be true.

"Oh, are you sure? You're step dad won't try to weasel out of it?" she pressed, terrified in spite of the joy that there may be a loophole for Jeffery to worm his way through.

"Jeffery likes to think he's a man of his word," Liam reasoned as he gently set her back down on the ground, keeping her firmly in his grasp. "The only way he'd break it is if he found out we're scamming him."

"So, it's all on my mom then," Annie said, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth anxiously.

"She can do it," Liam replied with surprising confidence.

"How do you know?"

"She's your mother," he said, caressing her face with the backs of his knuckles and tugging her lip free with his thumb. "If she's anything like you, there's nobody else I'd rather have on my side."

He kissed her before she could say another word.

With a flourish of accomplishment, Debbie signed the last of the divorce papers she had been tirelessly poring over all evening. When she'd married Harry, they'd signed their marriage license together, too caught up in the excitement of the wedding to fully grasp the importance of that single slip of paper. Only later, when she'd been trying to decide where to keep it in their tiny starter home, had she taken a moment to appreciate the significance. One little slip of paper representing two people's pledge to spend the rest of their lives together. Eyeing the thick file on the table she found it distinctly appalling that the dissolving of that vow had more documentation. Still, sad as she was to admit it was over, she knew it was the right thing.

A muffled chirp emanated from the kitchen, distracting her from any further wallowing. Quickly, she hurried to her purse on the counter and dug out her cell phone. The number was local but unfamiliar and for a brief moment her stomach twisted with anxiety. The events of the summer had made her accustomed to bad news and she couldn't help the knee jerk impulse to fear the worst. Swallowing, she masked her trepidation and answered. "Hello?"

"Debbie Wilson? This is Jeffery Sarkosian. We met at the courthouse a couple of months ago," a smooth, familiar voice carried through the earpiece.

"Jeffery," she replied, hoping her voice sounded merely surprised, rather than stunned by how quickly the man had taken advantage of the information Liam had clearly just delivered. "What a surprise. I don't remember giving you my number."

"Much to my regret," he agreed easily. Debbie waited, eager to see how he'd explain it. "Fortunately, I am a man of many resources. And when I want something, I'm tenacious."

"Hmm, very fortunate," she said, rolling her eyes. Now that she knew his game, every word he uttered sounded phony. Playing along, she continued with just a hint of flirtation. "So, to what do I owe this…lovely surprise?"

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since we met," he boldly confessed. "I was hoping you'd do me the honor of letting me take you out to dinner."

"Dinner. Really. Well, I think that can be arranged," she mused coyly. "Tenacity is a good quality in a man. I'd hate for yours to go unrewarded."

"Excellent," the self-satisfied grin was clear even over the phone and Debbie made a face of disgust. Leaning against the counter she tried to patiently wait for the conversation to end. "I'm out of town until the day after tomorrow. Why don't I pick you up Friday at eight?"

"Do I get to know where we're going?"

"I'd like to make it a surprise."

"Aw, Jeffery, that's sweet," Debbie began, her mind grasping for a graceful way to avoid being at his whim for transportation. "But I really think it would be better if I met you somewhere. My divorce hasn't even been finalized and my daughter…wouldn't react well to a new man picking me up at home so soon."

"I understand completely," he assured her. "Your children have to come first, of course. Have you been to Mastro's?"

Her eyes went wide at the blatant hypocrisy. Children come first and yet he'd used the one he was supposed to be a role model for as a means to an end. Somehow, she managed to keep her cool. She'd have to seriously work on her poker face before this so-called date. "No, but I've heard wonderful things about it."

"I'll make the reservation this evening."

"You certainly don't waste any time," she couldn't help but point out.

"Not when I know what I want," he replied, his intent clear. "I look forward to seeing you again, Debbie."

"Me too," she promised, offering a goodbye before ending the call. For a moment she stared at the phone, not sure whether to believe the conversation had really happened. Now that she knew exactly who Jeffery Sarkosian was and what he was capable of, she couldn't believe she'd been so vain and foolish as to believe his act. Truly, she thought she was a better judge of character. The shallow glitz and glamour of Beverly Hills was clearly affecting her.

As she got ready for bed, Debbie debated whether or not to wait up for Annie. Liam embodied everything most parents of teenage daughters feared. A trouble magnet, at seventeen almost too good looking to be real, who gave the finger to authority just for the simple thrill, he was the heartbreaker her mother had always warned her against. Bad boys never changed and were never, ever to be trusted.

Yet for all that, Debbie trusted him with Annie. Yes, saving her life and getting shot in the process did wonders to ease a mothers concerns, but what truly cemented the deal was the way he'd spoken to her mere hours ago. So incredibly young and at the same time far too old for his years, certain before he even uttered a word that whatever he needed would be denied. Some of that certainty might have been a result of the sheer insanity of the request - Debbie was fairly certain Annie had been the one to orchestrate the plan – but she knew it went deeper, speaking to years of adults he should have been able to count on letting him down. The thought of Dixon ever looking at her with the same doubt and defeat was too much to bear. What kind of mother would let that happen to her child?

The thought made Debbie pause in the act of turning down the sheets of the huge king sized bed she now slept in alone. Liam's mother… Wracking her brain she remembered her name: Colleen. She'd never met the woman, but found the idea of her fascinating in a macabre way. Here was someone whose husband and son were locked in a brutal war she allowed to play out right under her nose. Could she possibly be that oblivious or was it more willful ignorance fueling her to turn a blind eye to what was apparently happening.

Narrowing her eyes, she reached for her cell and scrolled through the numbers, a plan of her own taking shape. A glance at the clock as the phone rang told her it was late, but hopefully not too late. Seconds later a voice on the other end answered. "Hello?"

"Kelly, it's Debbie," she said, a genuine smile on her lips.

"Oh, hi," the guidance counselor replied, surprised but warm. "How are you?"

"Oh, that's a loaded question," Debbie laughed sardonically. "When you have five or six free hours, we should get together and I'll tell you all about it."

"Wow. That sounds…stressful," Kelly replied.

"Tell me about it," she sighed. Getting right to the point she asked. "Listen, Liam Court's mother, Colleen has volunteered for some PTA events, right?"

"Yeah, I think so. I don't have my files with me, but I'm pretty sure."

"Could you get me her number?" Debbie asked, climbing into bed and settling against the pillows. "I'd really like to talk to her. I've got an…event I'd like to tell her about."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Friday nights on Canon Drive catered to Beverly Hills' elite. Celebrities from every list flocked to restaurants like Mastro's in the hopes of being seen. Maître d's split their time between catering to spoiled nouveau riche reality stars and assuaging the more conservative tastes of the moneyed upper class that ran the town, knowing if they managed the impossible and kept everyone happy they'd be able to pay their mortgage on tips alone.

Halfway up the block and across the meticulously maintained street, Annie and Liam did their best to be inconspicuous as they watched the gold and blue façade. Jeffery had arrived first, turning Annie's stomach from afar as he ordered the valets around like second class citizens. Minutes after he'd disappeared into the hidden restaurant within, Debbie had appeared and Annie had watched in awe as her mother slipped inside with a confidence that belied the incredible pretense of the dinner date.

The dual arrivals had been completely anticlimactic, leaving Annie with an abundance of agitated energy. Liam had taken a seat on the aesthetically pleasing, but altogether uncomfortable wrought iron bench placed between two picturesque trees. Annie, however, couldn't relax enough to sit, pacing the short expanse of sidewalk in front of him instead as she cast furtive glances at Mastro's and muttered to herself.

"Why couldn't he have picked a place with outdoor seating?" she grumbled. Mastro's tinted windows overlooking Canon Drive teased her from a distance. Even if she were right in front of them she knew it would be impossible to see through. Trying to imagine what was happening inside, her stomach twisted in knots of anxiety. She shot a furtive look at Liam. "What if my mom can't pull it off? What if Jeffery sees right through her?"

"Annie," he said in a voice meant to be soothing, but only succeeded in aggravating her further.

"What?" she snapped, crossing her arms against the slight chill in the breeze now that the sun had disappeared. "This is huge, Liam. If this doesn't work your future, our future, is ruined. All your step dad has to do is pick up the phone and make one call and you're on your way to Maine again."

"I know," he replied, his tone clearly indicating that she was preaching to the choir, but she wasn't listening. She could feel his eyes on her as she paced the immaculate sidewalk but it did nothing to take the edge off her nerves.

"And then what do we do?" Annie continued. "Do we-do we stay together? I mean, we can call and text and email if you can even do that at a military school. I can come visit you, but even then I doubt Debbie would let me come until Christmas break. I mean, she likes you, Liam. A lot more than I thought she would, but she's still not like most moms out here.

"Or do we break up?" she kept talking right over his attempt to get a word in edgewise. If her brain hadn't been racing too fast for the rest of her to keep up, even contemplating ending things with Liam would have given her a panic attack. "Long-distance relationships are hard and I didn't have very much luck with my last one."

Sighing heavily, she slumped on the bench next to him. With his arm draped casually over the back of the bench and his jean clad legs stretched out to the edge of the curb, Liam was the picture of calm ease. Annie made a face and shook her head. "And here you are, completely chill, like we always hang out on one of the ritziest streets of Beverly Hills on a Friday night while my mom tries to scam your step dad on a fake date. It must be really nice to be you."

Liam raised an eyebrow and stared at her for a few minutes. His features may have been schooled in an unreadable mask, but amusement clearly danced in his blue eyes. "Are you done?"

"I don't know," Annie lifted a stubborn shoulder, although the rant had lost momentum. "But now would probably be a good time for you to kiss me and shut me up because I feel like my head is going to explode."

A smile turned the corners of his lips and he chuckled softly. "Come here," he grasped the back of her neck and tugged gently. Their lips met and her eyelids fluttered shut. Instantly the soft but insistent pressure of his mouth on hers began to work its magic. Sighing gratefully in surrender, her shoulders relaxed and the knots in her stomach loosened. Uncrossing her arms, she grabbed the front of his shirt, both to pull him closer and as an anchor. With exquisite slowness, he coaxed her mouth open, dragging each kiss out of her until she was dizzy.

"Better?" he murmured when they separated, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. Annie had yet to open her eyes, but she managed a small nod while she waited for her heart to stop racing.

"You really shouldn't let me do that," she sighed, looking him in the eye as she traced her fingers over his cheekbone and down the side of his face. Still able to taste him on her lips, Annie was able to ignore her anxieties for a moment. "I sound like a crazy person."

He cocked his head with a smile that made her grateful to be sitting down. "Little bit."

"When this is over, no matter what happens, let's go somewhere. Alone," she said, her voice low and husky. Liam's smile became a grin.

"I think that can be arranged," he promised, the words nearly lost as his mouth came down on hers once again.

"Mmm," Annie replied, licking her lips when they came apart. Snuggling into his side, she grabbed his hand and held it between both of her smaller ones. As her eyes drifted back to Mastro's, her nerves flared once again. Clutching his hand tightly, she pressed her earlier point. "Seriously, though. Why are you so calm? Do you know something I don't?"

The last question was something of a joke, but she'd gratefully take any answer Liam might have; anything to make the wait more bearable. For a long time, he said nothing, prompting her to shift so she could see his face. Eyes downcast, he studied their joined hands before staring toward some undefined point in the distance. "Do you remember what I told you the night of Teddy's party?"

"I remember a lot of things you told me the night of Teddy's party," she replied with a smile, teasing him to ward off the tension bleeding off of her and sinking into him. "You told me you loved me."

The tactic worked and Liam smirked. "You said it first. I figured I had a better shot of getting you into bed if I said it back."

"Oh really?"

"Absolutely," he said, leveling her with look that made her melt from the inside out.

Doing her best to cover the devastating effect he could have on her, Annie rolled her eyes. Most of that night was a blur, but the moments with Liam stood out in sharp relief. Going through the events in her mind, nothing stood out until she recalled the last seconds they were in the cabin. Just as they were leaving, in fact, he'd promised her something. Surprised that she could have forgotten, the smile fell from her face. "You said no matter what happened, you wouldn't leave."

"I meant it," he agreed, serious as well now.

Annie frowned. "That's great, Liam, but…I don't understand. If this plan doesn't work…do you have a plan b?"

"Kind of."

"Kind of?" she repeated, searching his face for clues. Finding none and reading the hesitation loud and clear in the troubled set of his eyes, she pressed. "What is it?"

"It's not that big of deal," he promised. He took so long to continue she was afraid he was going to leave it at that and go no further. "If this doesn't work…I'll leave."

"Leave?"

"Move out."

"You mean run away," she clarified, her heart sinking. The option had crossed her mind, immediately dismissed as ridiculous and impractical. If the boat had survived, sure, maybe they could make it work, but two teenagers out on their own? She'd seen enough bad Lifetime movies to know the odds of that succeeding were less than slim to none. "Liam, we can't. We're only seventeen. What-what would we do?"

"No one said anything about 'we,' Annie."

Stung, she blinked. "You mean you don't want me to go?"

"No, that's…that's not what meant," Liam clarified, turning slightly to face her as he held fast to her hand. "I meant there's no reason _you _have to leave home."

"I still don't understand how this is any better than you being sent to Maine," she protested. "Running away…you're still gone."

"But I can stay here," he replied. "LA is huge, plenty of places for me to live completely under Jeffery's radar until I turn eighteen. Then he can't do anything to me anymore."

Annie tried to wrap her mind around the idea, but more questions kept coming up. "But what would you live on? Who's going to hire a seventeen year old?"

The corner of Liam's mouth turned up in a small smile and he said gently. "Naomi told you what I was doing when we met, didn't she?"

Liam had a point. He wasn't exactly a stranger to the world of fake ids and passing himself off as an adult. All he'd need to do was flash that smile and lay on a fraction of his vast reserves of charm and he'd have another lucrative bartending gig in some upscale hotel, club or restaurant like the ones lining Canon Drive.

"But…what about school?" she demanded, refusing to believe Liam could simply vanish from the radar and actually make it work. "If Jeffery really wants to find you, going to West Bev is going to make it really easy."

"I'll drop out."

"Liam!"

"I can get my GED," he insisted. "Look, it's Plan B for a reason. I don't want to do it. But if something goes wrong in there and my only options are running away or getting shipped across country away from you? Then there's only one choice. I'm not leaving you."

Annie frowned and bit her lip, wanting that final vow to be enough to banish the reservations that protested in her head. A promise like that from a guy like Liam Court wasn't something to be taken lightly. The lengths he was willing to go to be with her simultaneously broke her heart and made her giddy. Between them, they'd overcome more adversity in the past three months to be together than some couples faced in a lifetime. She knew she could count on him for absolutely anything and because she wanted him to feel the same, she couldn't let him do this.

Glancing at Mastro's, she said another silent prayer that Plan A would proceed without a hitch thus rendering this entire conversation utterly pointless. Swallowing, she spoke. "Liam, you can't…you can't just run away. Your mom would…"

She trailed off as a pretty brunette hesitantly approached the restaurant. Annie stared, fighting the recognition slowly working on her brain. What she was seeing simply wasn't possible, but her pulse kicked up a notch as dread tightened her chest anyway. Beside her, Liam shifted, showing the first signs of discomfort. "My mom…would be fine. I'd make sure she'd know I was okay."

At that moment, a car squealed its tires at the far end of the block, a wholly unfamiliar sound for this neighborhood and the brunette did what anybody else on the street would have done. Turning toward the sound, the woman gave Annie only a glimpse of her face, but it was enough. Her heart fell like a rock to the pit of her stomach. "Oh my god. Liam, your mother."

"I know, Annie. It would suck for her if I left, but-."

"No, I mean your mom is here," she interrupted, pointing as Colleen slipped through the ornate doors into the hidden depths of the restaurant.

"What?" he demanded, looking around wildly before following her gaze across the street.

"She just walked into Mastro's," Annie explained breathlessly, looking at him now with a horrified expression, her pulse pounding in her ears. Liam caught just enough of his mother's vanishing form to prove her assertions correct. Tightening her grip on his hand, she glanced back toward the restaurant. They hadn't planned for this. Never in her wildest worst case scenarios had it crossed her mind to form a contingency plan for Colleen. "What do we do?"

Liam expelled a short breath. "We get inside. Now."

Within Mastro's, Debbie Wilson did her best to enjoy an all expense paid visit to one of the hottest restaurants in Beverly Hills. The place certainly lived up to its reputation. The wait staff and food were both excellent, while the ambiance somehow managed to evoke Southwestern roots without making her feel like a rodeo might start at any minute. Under different - much different - circumstances, she would have been having a wonderful time.

Across the uncomfortably small table, Jeffery seemed to be enjoying himself immensely – much to Debbie's dismay. Without being too obvious, she'd systematically painted herself to be everything he shouldn't want. Taking an opposing viewpoint in a variety of topics from politics and religion to entertainment, she'd emphasized her devotion to her children above all else. Despite her most valiant efforts, however, Jeffery would not be deterred. Her plan didn't require her to make inroads in pushing the guy away, but it would certainly make her feel less sleazy if she could.

"Do you like Mastro's?" Jeffery asked, startling her into wondering if he could read her mind.

"I do," she replied with one of the few genuine smiles she'd managed that evening. "It certainly lives up to its reputation."

"I come here often," he replied with a self-important smile meant to impress. All it did was ruin a rare honest moment. "I've actually thought about asking them for my own table."

"Really?" she replied noncommittally, knowing he'd need no further encouragement to talk about himself. As Jeffery droned on about a recent business meeting he'd conducted at their very table, Debbie glanced toward the entrance. Discretely checking the delicate silver and gold bracelet style watch clasped around her wrist, she noted it was nearly nine o'clock. Should everything go according to plan, Colleen would be arriving in minutes and the show would begin. Every table within earshot was occupied and Debbie's stomach knotted in anticipation of being the center of attention surrounded by the Beverly Hills elite. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself to being the ringmaster of Mastro's own private soap opera.

A few minutes later her patience was rewarded as the maitre d entered the main seating area leading Colleen Sarkosian. Seeing her in person, Debbie now realized she'd seen the beautiful brunette before, although they'd never been formally introduced. Her heart started beating faster. What if she couldn't go through with this? Exposing Jeffery's duplicity and manipulation had seemed like a brilliant idea two days ago when she'd been alone in the huge house she'd so recently shared with her perfect family. As Colleen wove her way slowly through the tables, Debbie kept a smile plastered to her face as she eyed her dinner date. He deserved this humiliation, every ounce of it, but what about his wife? Did she deserve to suffer in kind? For the first time she recognized that regardless of her intentions she was about to play home wrecker and if the plan went awry, Liam and Annie would have to shoulder the consequences.

Debbie could pinpoint the exact moment Colleen recognized Jeffery and they reached the point of no return. Her steps faltered and instantly her entire demeanor changed. The confident person who'd entered only moments ago disappeared behind an uncertain, almost fearful girl. She continued toward the table, however, clutching her small black purse in faintly trembling hands. Collecting the last of her concerns and shoving them to the corner of her mind, Debbie dropped the charade.

"Excuse me, Jeffery," she interrupted his story when Colleen drew close enough. Rising from her chair, she forced a smile to her lips and extended a hand to the other woman. "You must be Colleen. I'm Debbie. Thank you for coming."

Shock rendered Jeffery gloriously mute when he realized he'd been caught. His color changed, his face turning red and then grey as he turned in his seat and noted his wife's presence. Colleen's smile was strained, but held steady, her glance shifting between Debbie and her husband.

"Nice to meet you," she directed the greeting toward Debbie, although her words held all the warmth of a chilly winter's day back in Kansas. "Jeffery. I didn't know you'd be here."

"I'm afraid that's my fault, actually," Debbie replied with genuine remorse. "I made the choice to keep you both in the dark. Why don't you have a seat? We have some things to discuss."

"What's going on?" Jeffery asked, trying to keep his voice light, in direct contrast to the flashing anger in his eyes. Just as Debbie was about to launch in to her carefully planned speech, Annie and Liam appeared, hovering in the threshold between foyer and seating area as they scanned the room. A smile played at the corners of her mouth and relief washed over her. She'd known Annie would be somewhere close, unable to let the plan proceed without her. Debbie had never been more grateful to see her daughter. Beckoning the two teenagers closer, she watched the Sarkosian's carefully.

"Liam, what-what are you doing here?" Colleen asked immediately upon seeing her son.

"Why don't you tell her, Liam," Debbie nodded in encouragement. Glancing past Jeffery's once again shocked countenance, she raised her eyebrows at the boy. "I think your mom deserves to know the truth. All of it."

"Mom, what are you doing?" Annie hissed, both shocked and betrayed. Ignoring her, Debbie watched Liam take in the scene, noting when the pieces fell into place and barest hint of a smile touched his eyes. Across the table, Jeffery had also caught on and did his best to intimidate his step son into silence with a lethal glare.

Whatever hesitation Liam had had vanished under that stare and he lifted his chin defiantly as he addressed his mother. "Jeffery knew how badly I wanted to stay in Beverly Hills, so he made me a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Colleen asked, her voice tremulous.

"Liam, if you say one more word, I swear-."

"You're going to threaten me right in front of her?" Liam interrupted Jeffery's declaration with astounded skepticism. "That's bold. Even for you."

"Jeffery, let the boy talk," Debbie ordered, pitching her voice deliberately low. "You don't want to cause a scene at your favorite restaurant, do you?"

Seething, but subdued, Jeffery snapped his mouth shut. Once again, Liam turned to his mother and hit her with the truth without hesitation. "He said if I got him a date with Annie's mom, I could stay."

Colleen's eyes widened, but without the shock Debbie had expected. Instead, the brunette simply seemed sick as she asked her husband. "Is that true?"

"Of course not," Jeffery blustered in disgust, dismissing Liam with a wave of his hand. "He's just trying to turn you against me. As usual."

"Really?" Liam shrugged and crossed his arms, his confidence growing as Jeffery's slowly dissolved. "Then what is this? A meeting? I don't think Mrs. Wilson is in your line of business."

"I can assure you, I'm not," Debbie agreed, doing her best to ignore the other woman's discomfort as her gaze shifted endlessly between her husband and son. "This is very much a date. One I agreed to go on because Liam and asked for my help."

"Your help?" Colleen repeated.

"Yes. I met your husband a few months ago when both our kids were making appearances in court," Debbie explained, glancing at Annie and Liam. "Of course, he left out the part about being married. I didn't know that until my daughter pointed out what a fool I'd just made of myself by flirting with a married man."

"Colleen, this is all lies," Jeffery sputtered, doing his best to make the claims sound preposterous.

"I don't want to hear anything from you right now, Jeffery," Colleen cautioned in a steely voice that contrasted drastically with the tears glittering in her eyes. Swallowing, she nodded at Debbie. "Please, go on."

"I didn't think any more of it until Liam told me what his step dad wanted in exchange for his freedom," she explained with a knowing glance at her daughter. "Although, I'm sure Annie came up with the idea to get me involved."

"Why would you agree?" Colleen demanded. "What kind of woman are you to have an affair with a married man?"

"Oh, there would never, _ever _have been an affair. I agreed to one date, simply so Liam could hold up his end of the bargain. As for why…he saved my daughter's life," Debbie explained with a very sincere, very grateful look at Liam who managed not to squirm this time at the mention of his heroics. "This is truly the least I could do in thanks."

"And I'm here because?" Colleen asked, although from the way she couldn't even look at her son, Debbie suspected she already knew the answer.

"Because you deserved to know," she explained. Casting a withering look at Jeffery, she took a bit of pleasure in verbally skewering him. "You needed to know the lengths to which your husband would go to cheat on you. Look, I am the last person who should be dishing out relationship or parenting advice, believe me, but I couldn't agree to get involved and then just abandon Liam to whatever else Jeffery planned on dishing out. I knew there was no way you really understood what was happening because no mother would let their child be manipulated like that."

In the heavy silence that followed, the part of her that had hurt for Liam enjoyed leveling the pointed comment at Colleen and even took satisfaction in the way the other woman's gaze fell to her lap and stayed there. Much to Debbie's surprise, Jeffery was still sitting there, genuine uncertainty deepening the lines on his face. She hadn't thought him capable of anything resembling guilt or remorse. Realizing she'd said all she needed to say, Debbie reached for her purse. "I'm sorry to have ambushed you like this, Colleen. I'll leave you two to sort things out. Liam, Annie, I think we should leave them-."

"No," Colleen interrupted, finding her voice and lifting her head. "No, I think I should leave."

"Colleen," Jeffery said in a patronizing tone and reached for her hand.

"Don't touch me," she warned, keeping her voice low. Glancing at the surrounding patrons, she leaned close enough to keep the conversation just between them. "And do me the courtesy of staying somewhere else tonight. I'm sure you have a hotel reserved just in case things went really well with Debbie. Use it."

Debbie's brow lifted in surprise, an expression mirrored by Liam. Perhaps the other woman had a backbone after all. For Liam's sake, she hoped it wasn't just a momentary lapse.

"Liam, will you take me home, please?" Colleen asked, barely meeting her son's eye, almost as if she expected him to deny her request. With a look at both Debbie and Annie, he swallowed and nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, mom, whatever you need."

"Colleen, don't do this," Jeffery tried again, rising from the table, his voice carrying over the restaurant. Colleen froze, her cheeks coloring as she felt countless eyes on her, but after a moment's hesitation she squared her shoulders and made her way quickly, but calmly to the exit. With a final look at Annie, Liam followed.

After his wife disappeared into the foyer, Jeffery's demeanor changed and his now wrathful gaze fell with full force on Debbie. "You bitch. How could you do this to me? What gives you the right to ruin my marriage?"

She scoffed. "Ruin your marriage? You're actually trying to blame that on me? Have a nice life, Jeffery. Annie, let's go."

"Gladly," her daughter replied, giving Liam's step father a scathing look before succumbing to Debbie's guiding arm around her shoulders. They left the fuming man to stew in his own rage at the table and none too soon found themselves outside in the cool Beverly Hills night air. While they waited for the valet to pull up with the car, Debbie finally released a breath she hadn't realize she'd been holding.

"I am _so_ glad that's over," she sighed.

Annie could only stare at her in wonder as she shook her head. "Mom…what-what was that?"

"That, Annie, is how you play with adults," Debbie explained, a smile of satisfaction taking over her features. "Jeffery must have called me not five minutes after Liam gave him my number. I guess I never really expected him to follow through and use that poor boy like that."

"So, you called Colleen for Liam?"

Debbie shrugged. "For Liam and for her. Colleen needed to know what was really going on right under her nose. Although, I'll be honest. There were a few times in that restaurant when I didn't think I'd be able to pull it off."

"Yeah, well you did," Annie replied, eyes glowing with admiration. "You are totally my hero."

Debbie's cheeks grew hot at the unexpected praise. The heavy cloud of failure hanging over her head parted for a moment and she allowed herself that small moment of pride. Perhaps her life was in a shambles, but she could take comfort in knowing she accomplished at least one good thing this summer.

The valet brought her SUV to the curb just then, saving her from having to speak around the lump that had formed in her throat. As Annie climbed into the passenger seat, she innocently asked. "What do you think is going to happen now?"

Instantly, the cloud returned and she stared at the ostentatious façade of Mastro's for a moment before pulling away from the curb. Uncertainty weighed on her as heavily as outright dread. Colleen's exit had been a thing of beauty, but assuming Liam hadn't been exaggerating about her previous reactions to Jeffery's infidelity, Debbie had to admit that didn't necessarily mean anything. She glanced at Annie as her daughter watched the storefronts give way to residential streets. Trying to keep the worry from her voice, Debbie replied lightly. "I really don't know."


	24. Chapter 24

_AN: My apologies for making you wait more than a week for an update, especially since we're so close to the end. Writing from Liam's POV gives me fits and occasionally makes me miss my deadlines. ;p_

Chapter 24

One transgression of which Liam had never been accused was talking too much. If anything, he'd found trouble for not speaking up when the situation called for it, so as he navigated the busy streets of Beverly Hills on a Friday night the tomb-like silence within Colleen's car was nothing he couldn't handle. Executing a smooth turn, he tried to imagine Annie enduring the quiet for this long. A faint smile touched his lips. No way his girlfriend could stand it.

Beginning of the weekend traffic slowed in some areas to a near crawl, and while he could deal with the silence, the nagging questions rattling around in his brain rendered patience an elusive virtue. Back at Mastro's his mother had climbed into the passenger's seat, leaving him to take the keys from the valet. Thus far, she'd spent the entire drive with her head in her hand, staring out the window with a blank expression that afforded him no clues to her thoughts.

Even if he did choose to break the silence, he wasn't sure where to start. Honestly, he wasn't sure how to feel. After his mother's reaction – or lack thereof – to Jeffery's infidelity last spring, the way she stood up for herself at the restaurant had been astounding. He'd never been so proud of her in his life and he'd remember the stricken expression on his stepfather's face with satisfaction for years to come. True, she hadn't thrown a drink in at him and told him it was over, but she had kicked him out for the night and that was huge.

Liam wanted nothing more than to celebrate that flare of confidence, but he couldn't shake a combination of doubt and guilt that warned him nothing with Jeffery could be that simple. Colleen had already thrown away one chance to be rid of the adulterous bastard. Debbie's plan had been inspired, but he couldn't be sure witnessing the attempted infidelity firsthand and being humiliated in the process would be enough.

In the soft, white glow of a passing street lamp, Liam caught Colleen swiping hastily at a tear that spilled down her cheek. An agonizing knot of guilt twisted in his gut and he focused his attention on the road. Grateful though he was to Debbie for what she'd orchestrated, the public humiliation and pain he'd put his mother through warred against every instinct he possessed. He was supposed to protect her, not actively participate in the situation.

With darkness coming earlier, the streetlamps blazed as he made a left onto the residential avenue that led to Jeffery's house. The feeling of familiarity and home that the house had elicited the morning he'd been released from the hospital had worn off with the painkillers. Fleetingly, he imagined the relief that would come with getting the hell out of that house, but he didn't let himself dwell. Past experience taught bitter lessons and deep down he didn't have much faith that Colleen would stand her ground long enough to even broach the subject. The most he hoped for now, the most he had ever hoped for, was to be allowed to stay in Beverly Hills.

"Mom? We're home," Liam said, finally breaking the heavy silence when Colleen made no move to exit after he pulled into the driveway. At his prompting she gave herself a small shake and blinked, as if coming out of a daze. Staring up at the house for a few moments, she groped for the handle and let herself out of the car.

A few steps behind, Liam quietly followed his mother to the front door. When she paused at the landing and held out her hand for the keys, he readily relinquished them. Tension mounted in the expectant silence until the he swore he could actually hear the questions in his head echo in the empty space.

Bypassing the lights, Colleen went directly through the dark foyer to the kitchen, tossed her purse on the island and braced her hands against the edge of the stainless steel sink. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Liam leaned a shoulder against the refrigerator and counted the seconds. By the time he reached one hundred, Colleen still hadn't moved or spoken so much as a syllable and his patience ran out. His voice was low, but even that sounded like a cannon blast in the stillness. "Mom?"

Colleen jerked as if from an electric shock and whirled around, hands still gripping the edge of the sink with white knuckle intensity. With nothing but the moon and stars to illuminate the kitchen, her wide eyes reminded Liam so much of a wounded animal, that all his doubt dissolved in the face of overwhelming guilt. He never should have asked Debbie for help, he should have moved out rather than put his mother through more grief. In the past seventeen years he'd caused her enough trouble to last a lifetime.

Swallowing, he willed his voice to remain steady. "Mom, I'm so sorry. I had no idea that Mrs. Wilson was going to ambush you like that-."

"No," Colleen whispered fiercely, showing more life in the three steps it took to cross the ceramic tiled floor and pull him into an embrace than she had since leaving Mastro's. Wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders, she held onto him for a moment before continuing. "Don't you dare apologize for what happened tonight. This was my fault. I had this coming."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Liam argued, taking comfort in the familiar scent of his mother's perfume the way he always had when he was ten years old. Even though it had only been seven years ago, it felt like seventy.

"Oh, yes I did, Liam. I've done so many things wrong I don't even know where to begin fixing them," she insisted, pulling away and lightly holding his face between her palms. Tears glistened in her eyes. "But I know that the first thing _you_ need to do is finish unpacking. Everything. I wondered why you left so much in boxes after Jeffery's…change of heart."

"I didn't trust him," he explained. There had always been a chance the plan wouldn't work. Unpacking all his belongings from the nondescript cardboard boxes had seemed like such a waste of energy. "I still don't."

"Well, trust me," Colleen said, her jaw firm with determination. "You're not going anywhere until you _want _to go."

With those words, the very ones he'd been yearning to hear all summer, his lungs simply stopped functioning. He wanted so badly to trust her, but the doubt was creeping back, reminding him of every broken vow his mother had made since marrying Jeffery. As if reading his mind, her brow creased with concern and she gripped his face tighter.

"Liam, please. It breaks my heart to see you look at me like that," she confessed, brushing his hair off his forehead in one of her favorite gestures. "I will not let Jeffery send you away. He is done having any say in how I raise you. I was wrong to ever think he could be a good influence on you."

Liam frowned. "What-what are you talking about?"

After another lingering look, Colleen slipped past him and opened the wine pantry on the opposite wall. Selecting a vintage, she silently focused for a few moments on opening the bottle and pouring a glass. The dark red liquid splashed against the fine crystal as she allotted herself a generous portion. Taking a long drink, she sighed and finally asked. "Do you know why I married Jeffery?"

Not a conversation Liam was interested in having. Swallowing his distaste, he shrugged. "You loved him."

"That was only part of it," she admitted. Liam waited and watched as she stared into space. Choosing her words carefully, she continued. "After your father bailed on us, I tried really hard to be both parents to you, but…You are so much like him. Wild and fearless and so stubborn. I watched you get into fights and drinking and drugs and all the things a good parent never lets their child do. I was terrified I was going to lose you just like your dad…and then I met Jeffery. I actually thought he'd be good for you. Sounds completely idiotic now, but at the time…Jeffery was everything I thought you needed in a father figure. Strong, solid, successful. Here was someone who could show you how to be a…a good man. Everything your father wasn't."

Liam said nothing as he mulled over those two options; either a deadbeat who'd rather fleece his own son than hold down a job or a smarmy, cutthroat business executive who gave nothing but empty promises to the person he was supposed to love. If those were his only options he might as well take a swan dive off a bridge right now.

"I was wrong, though. About everything," Colleen said, wrapping an arm tightly around her stomach as she absently swirled the wine in her glass. "If you've shown me anything in the past year it's that you're never going to be like Jeffery. Thank god you're not your father. There's no way he would have tried so hard to change and make up for his mistakes. And neither one of them would have done what you did for Annie. Saving someone's life, Liam…that's huge. If I haven't told you already, I'm so proud of you."

Leaning his forearms on the island, he dropped his chin to his chest to mask his embarrassment. "I really wish people would quit saying that. Like I thought it through and made a choice. Annie was in trouble and it was because of me. If anything had happened to her, I…I couldn't handle it."

"Annie seems like a pretty amazing girl," Colleen observed with the first hint of a smile.

"She is," he agreed immediately, surprised by how easily the words came, but unwilling or unable to stop himself. "It's because of her I told the truth about those stupid coins. Did you know she spent this entire summer trying to figure out how to get me out of trouble?"

"I didn't."

"She had problems of her own, but she was always more worried about me," he continued, moved by the notion that she needed to understand why it was so important he stayed in Beverly Hills. Why it mattered now when even six months ago he could have left without much more than a backward glance. "She's why I need to stay. I have friends here, one year left of school and I don't want to leave you, but if you want the truth…it's Annie."

"You're not going anywhere," Colleen vowed. "I swear."

"I want to believe you. Part of me does, but…what about Jeffery?"

"What about him? I told you, I'm done letting him-."

"I know what you said," he interrupted, rising to his full height and searching her face for something, anything that would let him fully accept the promise she was trying to make. "But I know how you are with him. We've done this before and things only got worse."

Clearly stung by his frank assessment, she looked away, her mouth set in a firm line as she tried to reign in emotions bubbling perilously close to the surface. "You're going to have to trust me."

"Are you going to leave him?"

"Liam-."

"Are you?" he demanded.

"After…the last time," she began, wincing at the description. "I told Jeffery the only way I'd stay is if he threw out our prenup. Ever the business man, he offered to put in a new clause. In the event of infidelity on his part, I get half."

"Half?" he repeated, frowning in confusion. "Half of what?"

"Everything," Colleen replied with a ghost of a smile. "The house, the cars, the boat. Any other properties in his name. Half of it goes to me."

Liam gaped at his mother in stunned silence. Half of everything, an even split down the middle. Jeffery must have lost his mind. The cold, calculating bastard would never have allowed for such vulnerability. "I can't believe he agreed to that."

"He was desperate for me to stay," she explained, her gaze sad and far away, no doubt remembering the pretty words Jeffery had offered her, too in love with him to see the manipulation motivating them. Liam thought it much more likely his stepfather assumed he'd never get caught again. Still, whether Jeffery was a closet romantic or a master con man, a prenup was a prenup.

"Look, Liam, why don't you get out of here, huh? Leave me and my bottle – or two – of merlot to wallow for the night," she tipped her glass at him in a mock toast before setting it on the counter. With a genuine, although tired smile on her face, she crossed the dark kitchen and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into another hug. "Go tell Annie that you're staying. You don't need to worry about all this and I'm sure you've got a few messages from her already wanting to know what happened."

Returning the embrace a part of him argued that he _did _need to worry about this, he'd always worry about it and the bombshell about the prenup brought a dozen other questions to mind. Their financial stability, or lack thereof, had been at least part of the reason Colleen had refused to leave six months ago. With half of everything Jeffery had to his name, that wouldn't be an issue. But the idea of getting the hell out of that house and taking the scenic route to Annie's so he could get lost in the speed and the wind tantalized him. Liam wanted off the emotional merry-go-round.

Colleen kissed him on the cheek as she pulled away. "I love you. You know that, right?"

Liam looked at her askance. "Of course. I love you, too."

"Good," she said and maintained a decent facsimile of a smile. "And this will all work out. I promise."

To that, he merely nodded as he grabbed his keys from the counter and headed toward the front door. He'd barely crossed the threshold into the cool night air when his mother called his name and he stopped abruptly. Wine glass in hand, she joined him outside, barefoot and still dressed for the restaurant.

"Have you told Annie how important she is to you?" she demanded, fixing him to the spot in one of her rare authoritative mother moments.

Liam frowned, taken aback. "Um, I…not in those exact words."

"You should tell her," Colleen smiled a little wistfully and took a sip out of her now full wine glass. "Women like to hear the warm fuzzy stuff. Even from their too-cool-for-school bad boy boyfriends."

"'Too-cool-for-school?'" Liam repeated, rolling his eyes, even as he could feel his face getting hot.

Colleen giggled. "Did I just date myself?"

"I think the wine did."

"Well, whatever," she shrugged. "Just do what your mother says for once, huh? Tell her."

Liam wasn't sure how he'd ever work up the nerve to really make Annie understand how important she'd become to him, but he nodded and left his mother with a promise. Colleen watched from the doorway as he started his car and pulled out of the driveway. Even though he was eager to put some distance between himself and that house, he kept a wary eye on the rearview mirror until he turned a corner and she disappeared from sight.

Once on the open freeway, Liam rolled down the window and let the cool night air fill the car. The roar of the wind and hum of the engine usually cleared his mind, but tonight nothing would quiet the nagging anxiety clawing at his nerves. As the miles disappeared beneath the chassis, his faith in his mother to keep her word grew. She wouldn't let Jeffery send him away – this time. Gazing at the stars he prayed Colleen would follow through and leave his stepfather, because unless she walked away from the marriage, the man would just bide his time, waiting for Liam to screw up in some way that merited exile. There was no possible way he could stay off Jeffery's radar completely. Keeping his nose clean was one thing, sainthood something else entirely.

By the time he reached Annie's house and pulled smoothly into what was beginning to feel like his spot, it was after eleven o'clock and Liam was exhausted from the mental acrobatics his brain refused to abandon. This time, however, he didn't linger in the car. He wanted to see Annie, tell her the plan worked and he was staying and then listen to her talk about nothing for a few hours. He wanted something that made sense. The more time he spent with her, the more he was beginning to realize she was the only thing that did.

Tempted to bypass the front and walk around to Annie's window, Liam instead approached the front door. After everything Debbie had done for him that night, he figured the least he could do was ring the doorbell like a civilized human being.

After a moment the door opened and a very different Debbie greeted him with a smile. The little black dress and heels she worn to restaurant had been traded for yoga pants and a sweatshirt while her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail. "Hi, Liam. I figured I'd be seeing you again tonight."

With a gesture of welcome, she ushered him inside. Unaccustomed to the warm response from an adult, Liam tensed and jammed his hands in his pockets as he crossed the threshold into the foyer. "Sorry, I know it's late. I probably should have called."

"Don't worry about it," Debbie shrugged. "Annie's been dying to know what happened. I have to admit, I'm curious, too. How's your mom?"

"She's…I don't know," Liam sighed. "She swears I don't have to worry about Jeffery anymore and she ordered me to finish unpacking my stuff, so…that's good. But I don't know what else is going to happen."

Debbie nodded, understanding what he wasn't saying and folded her arms. "Ending a marriage is a big deal. Not something you can decide in one night."

He wanted to argue that his mother had had the past six months to contemplate her life without Jeffery, but remembered at the last second that Annie's dad had moved out. Instead, he merely nodded.

"Okay, I know you're not here to make small talk with your girlfriend's mom," she smirked and pointed over his shoulder at the stairs. "Annie's in her room."

"Thanks," he replied quickly, halfway up the stairs before a sense of duty stopped him. Coming back down a few steps, he called. "Mrs. Wilson?"

Debbie was already out of the foyer, but she returned from the dining room upon hearing her name. "Yes?"

"Thank you for what you did tonight," he said, the phrase wholly inadequate. Nobody had ever gone to such lengths for him, especially not an adult. In fact, most would have been only too happy to be seeing the last of him.  
Between the two Wilson women, Liam didn't know how he'd ever return the favor. "I can see where Annie gets it."

Debbie frowned, bemused. "Gets what?"

"Her soft spot for lost causes," he replied with a smirk that kept the mood light despite his choice of words.

"Not lost," she shook her head and turned back to the dining room, calling the last bit over her shoulder. "Worthy causes, Liam. Worthy. And you're very welcome."

Waiting until her footsteps faded, Liam wondered what it would have been like to have grown up with a mother like Debbie. Colleen loved him, he never doubted that, but he couldn't imagine her pulling off the charade Debbie had orchestrated that night. Not for him and certainly not for someone else's kid. She was too passive, too eager to please and petrified of rocking the boat. Even as he entertained those thoughts, the deep seeded instinct to protect his mother barraged him with guilt over the mutinous thoughts.

Taking the remaining stairs two at a time, Liam found himself on a darkened landing. While he hadn't actually been in Annie's room, he'd spent enough time outside her window to have a no trouble finding it. Light spilled through the crack in the open doorway onto the beige carpet lining the hall. He didn't hear anything from inside, no rustling of clothes or closing of drawers or any sound to indicate a person was living and breathing within. He frowned. She wasn't usually that quiet. Rapping his knuckles on the door, he called. "Annie?"

The silence that answered rang in his ears. Hesitantly, he pushed the white painted door open wider. She wasn't hard to find, perched on the edge of the window seat in the same flouncy black skirt and purple top she'd been wearing the earlier that evening. The black heels that had done little to detract from the difference in their heights were piled haphazardly on the floor beneath her bare feet.

Although she still hadn't noticed him, being in the same room with her made him feel instantly better. The worries he'd brought with him from home faded into the background. Focusing on her was easier and infinitely more appealing. Clutching a sheet of thick white paper in both hands, she was oblivious to his entrance. "Annie?"

She gasped and looked up, clearly startled to find him in her room. "Liam. What…h-how long have you been standing there?"

"I just got here," he replied, approaching slowly. "I knocked and called your name. Twice. Is something wrong?"

Annie frowned, following his line of sight to the paper she clutched to tightly. With an absent shake of her head, she set it aside and went to him, taking his hand and pulling him down next to her on the bench. Tucking her legs beneath her, she looked at him expectantly. "It can wait. What happened?"

Liam took a deep breath and skipped immediately to the most important part. Although he'd said the phrase countless times in the past few weeks, now it was actually the truth. Even so, the paltry words seemed inadequate stacked against their meaning. "I'm staying."

Annie caught her breath, her eyes a direct window to every ounce of warring anxiety and hope. Biting her lip, she looked briefly away before saying in a raw voice that crushed him with its vulnerability. "Please tell me it's for real this time. No more deals or plans or running away."

"No more deals. I'm not going anywhere," he promised sincerely, brushing her hair over her shoulder and returning to caress the smooth skin of her cheek. Expelling the breath she'd been holding, Annie melted into him. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and after a moment wrapped her arms around him. The fresh relief was contagious and he was suddenly weary with it. Closing his eyes, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and lingered there.

"I can't believe it's finally over," she sighed, easing back to look at him with shining eyes. "No more Jasper, no more assault charges, no more military school. We can actually be like…a normal couple."

Liam laughed. "How's that gonna work?"

"I don't know," Annie replied, shaking her head in amazement. "I have no idea, but I can't wait to find out." An instant later, she kissed him, her small, delicate fingers working their way purposefully around the nape of his neck to urge him closer. Liam didn't need a second invitation. For the first time, he was kissing her without a threat hanging over his head. The nagging question of whether or not this would be the last time he'd have the chance wasn't lingering on the fringes of his mind. He was finally free. Free to stay in Beverly Hills, free to be with Annie and free to kiss her any time he wanted.

"You know this was all you, right?" he asked, trying to follow his mother's advice and let Annie know just how important she was to him. "You're the reason I'm here."

Dropping her gaze, her cheeks flushed pink. "It didn't really do anything. I think Debbie deserves most of the credit for this one."

"Yeah, well, I already thanked her. Unless you want me to go kiss her instead," he teased, tipping her chin to look her in the eye.

"Ah, actually, on second thought," she perked up and grinned at him. "You were right. I'm brilliant. You should totally thank me."

Liam grinned back and for the next few minutes completely forgot to worry about his mother and what would happen when Jeffery came back home. Kissing Annie was so addicting it was almost enough to make him forget that her bedroom door was wide open and her mother was in the house.

Almost.

As if she read his mind, Annie broke the kiss first, breathing hard as she licked swollen lips. Swallowing, she rocked back on her heels, letting her hands trail over his shoulder and down his arm to curl her fingers loosely with his. "How, um…how's your mom? Is she okay?"

"That depends on your definition of okay, I guess," he frowned, less than eager to bring the attention back to himself and his family drama. Grateful for her hand in his, he tightened the grip. "She's upset. Humiliated would probably be a better word. She talked about leaving him."

"But you don't believe her?" Annie surmised, shifting on the bench to slip her arm through his and rest her chin on his shoulder.

Liam shrugged. "I want to. God, more than anything I want Jeffery out of our lives. I really want all the pain I put her through tonight to be worth it."

"She deserved it," Annie said with simple conviction. Taken aback, Liam frowned and stared at her. Eyes wide, she shrugged a little uncomfortably. "What? I'm sorry, she did. She's your mom, and I've tried to remember that, but she makes me so mad for you."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, shifting awkwardly under the blatant concern for his wellbeing.

"I think it's really sweet how you take care of her and protect her," she said, tightening her grip on his hand. With her chin once again propped on his shoulder, their noses almost touched. Tiny frown lines appeared between her brows as her liquid brown eyes tightened with concern. "It's more than she deserves, but it's not fair. Who's left to protect and take care of you?"

A deeply rooted instinct to deflect any and all attention from the idea that he was anything other than self reliant had Liam mentally pulling away, even though he never let go of Annie's hand. "I don't need anybody looking out for me."

"That's not the point, Liam," she said sadly, rising to stand between his knees. Wrapping her hands loosely around the back of his neck, she made it impossible not to meet her eye. More than anything at that moment, Liam wanted to look away. Although he'd let Annie in, exposed some of his vulnerabilities, he had no control over where this moment was going and the possibilities almost made him nauseas. "You take care of everybody you love. You protect them and you make them feel safe. After what happened with Jasper, I should have been afraid of letting another guy get within ten feet of me, but I never hesitated. Because it was you."

With each breath, Liam's chest tightened and he dropped his gaze to study an indistinct spot on the carpet. Shaking his head as best he could with her hands still framing his face, his voice was strained. "Annie, don't…you don't need to say anything-."

"I know I don't, but that's exactly why I _am_," she explained, the tremor in her voice prompting him to lift his gaze from the floor. Tears sparkled along her lower lashes, threatening to fall at any moment. "You're only seventeen. You should be able to rely on someone."

"I do. I've got you," he admitted, surprised at how easily the words slipped out, but it was the truth. Somehow when he hadn't been looking, he'd come to not only love Annie, but to trust the fact that she'd be there when he needed her, no matter what. The realization was exhilarating and more than a little terrifying and made him brave enough to reveal more. "I don't need anybody else."

For her part, Annie fell into a stunned silence, blinking away the tears. When she finally spoke, the levity in her words took them out of the danger zone and into more comfortable territory. He loved her a little bit more. "Do you…do you lay awake at night coming up with amazing lines like that so you can use them to shut me up when I get going?"

Liam laughed, releasing a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Sometimes. But they're always true, especially this one," he promised, taking both of her hands in his and tugging them away from his face. "I would have given up that night I got arrested, but you kept me going, Annie. All summer."

"Just me being my stubborn, pushy self," she said, avoiding his gaze as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment at the praise.

"Yeah, well, it was worth it."

"Worth getting shot?" she raised her brows and peeked at him.

"Could have done without that," he admitted, earning a laugh as she shook her head in disbelief. For a moment, she peered up at him through her lashes and then she leaned in, her arms slipping beneath his to wrap snugly around his torso. Liam returned the embrace, letting his hands travel slowly over her, committing every inch to memory in case he needed to convince himself later that this had all been real.

Moments later, it seemed only natural when her lips met his, connecting at first in the faintest of caresses, but quickly building with passion. As he angled his mouth over hers for better access, he traced her spine all the way to the nape of her neck where he buried his fingers in her thick hair and clenched his fist. The move earned him a familiar whimper of encouragement that made him forget his earlier concern about her open door and the likely possibility that Debbie would be checking on them. The softness of her lips, the way she tasted and how she kissed him back so fearlessly turned him on like nothing else.

Looping his arm around her knees, he lifted her into his lap without breaking contact, feeding off the heady sensations of her lips and tongue moving in time with his. This time she gasped in surprise, her fingers digging into his shoulders for balance. Pillows overflowed the window seat and before long Annie took the lead, leaning backwards and taking him with. At this point, Liam would have followed those lips anywhere.

They settled against the pillows, her hands now framing his face, electrifying his skin with every touch. Wanting a better angle, he planted his fist next to Annie's hip to leverage himself closer. Instead of the gentle, silent give of the cushion, something rough crackled loudly, distracting him.

"What the hell?" he muttered, breaking the kiss despite her whimper of protest. Looking down, he recognized the thick white paper Annie had been studying so intently when he arrived. "What's this?"

"It came in the mail today," she replied with a sigh. Apparently deciding that whatever was on that sheet of paper would bring an end to their make-out session, she scooted back enough for him to sit comfortably with her legs still across his lap. Covered in official seals, important looking signatures and a bunch of legal jargon it took him a moment to discern what it meant. Then he recognized a name that made his stomach turn. "This is a summons to appear at Jasper's sentencing hearing."

Annie nodded and dropped her gaze to her hands. "They want me to testify. At least I think that's what they want," she looked at him hopefully. "Did you get one, too?"

"I don't know," he shook his head, still scanning the document. "My mom and I didn't check the mail when we got home."

"Oh, right. Of course you didn't," she said in a voice so small and tight it pulled Liam's attention away from the summons.

"Hey," he squeezed her bare thigh just above the knee. "Are you okay?"

With a heavy sigh, she lifted her chin and once again had to blink away tears. "I…yeah. I'm fine, I just…I wanted to be done with him. I thought I was, you know. That all I had left to do was make sure you were staying in Beverly Hills and my first day of senior year would be perfect."

Liam made a face and gestured to the paper. "Did you see the date on this thing?"

"No."

"It's the first day of school."

"Seriously?" Annie groaned and covered her face with her hands.

"Hey, hey, hey," he let the paper fall to the floor and grabbed her wrists, gently pulling them toward her lap. A wave of fierce protection washed over him and he hated Jasper more than ever. "It'll be okay."

"Can I get out of this?" she asked desperately. "Can't I…be relieved for special circumstances or something? It's the first day of senior year."

"I think that only works for jury duty," he admitted with a small smile. He grasped for anything that would make her feel better. "But listen. I probably have one. I wouldn't be surprised if Silver and Teddy did too. And even if we don't, I'll go with you."

Annie's shoulder's slumped with relief and she bit her lip as she gazed at him. "Really?"

"Sure," he promised. Then he smirked and added. "The first day of school really isn't my thing."

"Neither is the second. Or third," she teased, kissing him quickly before he could offer any sort of retort. Not letting them get lost in the moment, she pulled away quickly, her eyes shining. "Thank you."

He nodded and glanced toward the door. "You wanna get outta here?"

Following his gaze, she grinned. "You did promise me we could go somewhere private tonight."

"And we should probably celebrate your brilliant plan's success," he agreed. "Without anybody getting shot."

"See, I'm getting better at this!"

An idea tugged at the back of Liam's mind. A completely ridiculous, terrifying idea that Annie would love and would probably give him a heart attack. The more he thought about it, however, the more it felt like the perfect way to get both their minds off what was left of their problems. So, despite the nerves suddenly churning in his stomach, he dug in his pocket for his keys and dangled them off the tip of his finger. Her eyes narrowed in confusion and he lifted an eyebrow. "I've got an idea. You still wanna learn how to drive my car?"


	25. Chapter 25

Epilogue

Liam cringed in the passenger seat of the GTO, doing his best to ignore the slight variations in sound emanating from the engine he knew by heart. Clenching his hands into fists, he managed to keep his mouth shut when the car started vibrating as Annie pulled into a parking space near the beach. Reminding himself she knew what she was doing, he held his breath until she eased down on the clutch and shifted into neutral. Parking effectively, but without much finesse, she shut off the engine.

The setting sun made her hair blaze like fire as she beamed and announced proudly. "I did it."

Liam willed his fingers to uncurl and expelled the breath he'd been holding. "Yeah. Yeah, you did."

"Oh, come on," she chided at his lackluster response. "That was awesome. I didn't stall it once."

"True," he allowed, his stomach twisting at the thought.

"And I barely grinded the gears," she added.

Wincing, he recalled their first lesson when he practically heard each individual gear being stripped down to metal splinters as she tried to shift between first and second. His prediction of a heart attack almost came to pass. "Also true."

"I'm totally getting the hang of this," she said with confidence, turning back to the wheel and appraising the dashboard. Liam _almost _wished she wasn't. The more comfortable she got driving his car, the more she'd want to and since he couldn't seem to say no to her no matter what crazy request slipped past those gorgeous lips, he would probably die of cardiac arrest before he reached his eighteenth birthday. Dragging a hand over his face, he still couldn't help smiling at her enthusiasm. Annie glanced at him slyly from the corner of her eye. "I did way better than Teddy."

"Teddy? What are you talking about?" he demanded, whipping his head around and giving her his full, undivided attention.

Annie shrugged and pulled the keys from the ignition. "Oh, it's nothing."

Narrowing his eyes, he reached for the keys only to have her anticipate the move and snatch them out of his grasp. "Annie…" he warned.

"Liam," she replied, matching his tone and struggling to keep her expression neutral.

"What did Teddy do to my car?" he asked, draping his arm over the back of the seat.

Scrunching up her face, she pretended to think, all the while twirling his keys on a finger out the window, well beyond his grasp. "I'm not sure how to explain it. I mean, I clearly have no idea how cars work since I barely got us here in one piece-."

Unable to reclaim the keys, Liam settled for the next best thing and popped Annie's seatbelt so he could drag her across the full bench seat to his side of the car. A gasp of surprise turned into a laugh and she held the keys hostage behind her back.

"Now," he said, pinning her in place with his arms braced behind her head and next to her hip. Leaning in close enough to feel her breath on his lips, he tried one more time. "Tell me what happened to my car."

Annie's gaze dropped to his mouth, but she held her ground. "Not until you admit it."

"Admit what?"

"That I'm actually kinda good at driving your precious car," she said, raising a brow in challenge.

"Fine," he replied, but instead of saying the words he gave into the temptation he created and brushed her lips with a kiss. Annie had picked up the basics of driving a manual transmission and he even though he'd never be able to ride shotgun in his own car, he'd admit she was a quick study. He pulled back only far enough to speak. "You're kinda good at driving my car."

"Mmm," she murmured, pressing her lips together for a moment, savoring the kiss. Then her lids fluttered open and looked at him expectantly. "And?"

He frowned, searching her face. "And what?"

"And every time I'm about to shift you press down with your left foot like you're going for the clutch."

"I do not," he denied, incredulous.

"Oh yes, you do!" she cried, laughing at the stricken expression on his face. Curling the fingers of her free hand around the collar of the button down he wore over a white t-shirt, she added. "It's like drivers ed all over again when my dad nearly put a hole in the floor on the passenger side trying to stomp on the brake."

"I…Whatever," he glowered, mildly embarrassed. "What are you doing watching me anyway? You're supposed to be watching the road."

Annie rolled her eyes. "This is definitely just like drivers ed."

"Okay, truce," he declared, his hand traveling higher on her hip, his thumb ducking below the hem of her top to sweep the bare skin. "Tell me what happened to my car."

"Liam, nothing _happened_," she promised, warming to his touch. She abandoned his shirt and sunk her fingers into his hair, trying to tug him close enough to claim his lips once again. When he refused, she pouted and sighed. "Fine. Teddy stalled it out a few times when he drove it back to your place when you were in the hospital."

"I knew it," he said with grim triumph. Glancing toward the dash, as if he could see directly into the engine he shook his head. "I knew it wasn't running right. The gears have been sticking and shifting into second there's this weird-."

Distracted as he was, Annie easily succeeded in guiding his face back to her and closing the gap between them. Her mouth was soft, but insistent on his and he soon forgot all about the car as she dragged her nails over the nap of his neck. Breaking the contact only enough to form words, she murmured. "I don't want to talk about the car."

"What car?" he asked, the question lost as their lips met again. With little effort, he shifted and pulled her into his lap. Working the keys from her grasp, he tossed them on the driver's side so she could focus completely on them. Happy to oblige, she offered no resistance and caught his face in her hands while she straddled his thighs.

"We're already late," she sighed, after a few intense moments. Liam actually had to search his memory for the reason they were out in the first place. Saturday night of Labor Day weekend, school started next week… That was it, the end of the summer beach party.

"I didn't want to come anyway," he muttered, returning to the much more pleasurable task of making her writhe in his arms. Brushing her hair off her neck, he left a trail of open mouth kisses down the column of her throat.

"Mmm, I know," Annie breathed, coaxing his lips back to hers to taste him again for a few delicious seconds. "But I haven't seen Silver in forever."

"And that's a bad thing?" he argued, moving in for another kiss. "Let's just hang out alone tonight."

Laughing, as she tilted her head and thwarted his attempt, Annie shook her head. "I'd be flattered that you don't want to share me if I didn't know you were using me as an excuse to be a hermit."

"I hate parties."

"No, you hate people," she clarified, opening the passenger door and crawling off him. Bracing a hand on the roof, she leaned down and winked. "But today is your lucky day, know why?"

Grabbing his keys, he climbed out after her and stood close enough that she had to crane her neck to look at him. Automatically, his hands locked securely around her waist and pulled her flush against him so there would be no mistaking his intentions. "Because we're going to spend this party like we did the last one?"

Even in the dark, he could see the blush creep up her cheeks as he bested her attempts at seduction. "Well, I was going to say that you don't have to play sober cab since I am 'kinda good' at driving your car," she shrugged and twisted out of his grasp, backing down the path to the sand, the innocent expression in direct contrast to her tantalizing promise. "But you never know. Maybe you'll get lucky twice."

* * *

Making the appointment to speak with an attorney had been one of the hardest phone calls in Colleen's recent memory. Actually showing up to said appointment turned out to be infinitely more difficult. She would have liked to put it off another week, but with Jeffery out of town on business and Liam breathing down her neck, demanding to know what she was going to do, any further delay would be merely prolonging the inevitable.

The office of Elaine Newcomb, Attorney at Law, was not the ostentatious dark wood and leather fortress that housed the lawyers working for Jeffery's company. Colleen found the neutral grey walls, carpet and blond wood trim soothing by comparison, much more her league. She could actually envision having a conversation with this woman and being assertive and honest, rather than hiding behind vague generalizations and inoffensive commentary. Even so, she had to fold her hands tightly and concentrate on keeping them in her lap to avoid fidgeting as Elaine examined the copy of the prenuptial agreement.

"What do you think?" Colleen prompted moments later when Elaine set the sheaf of documents down on her desk.

"Well, as prenups go this one is fairly straightforward," Elaine explained, removing her black rimmed reading glasses and tucking her grey streaked hair behind her ear. Colleen found herself fascinated by that little admission of age. Grey hair in LA was about as common as snow in July. "The only interesting part is that little infidelity clause. Was that really his idea?"

"Yes," Colleen nodded, not trusting herself to say more. To her surprise, the anger and humiliation she'd felt at Mastro's hadn't dulled as the days passed. Jeffery had had the decency to stay away that night like she'd asked, but the very next morning he'd shown up at the house with flowers and diamonds and apologies. She'd been as cold as she was capable of being, but the man was confident and determined. No matter what faced him, Jeffery Sarkosian always won.

"That is an impressive level of arrogance," Elaine commented wryly.

This time Colleen managed a strained smile. "Yes, it is. Based on what I've told you, will the clause apply if I sue for divorce?"

The lawyer pressed her subtly painted lips together in thought. "If it were up to me, based on his past, I would say yes. Unfortunately, it's not and a man like Jeffery Sarkosian didn't get to where he is by embracing morals and honesty. His attorneys will probably argue that since the definition of infidelity is left ambiguous, a date with the assumption of more does not qualify."

Colleen's heart fell like a rock to her stomach. Even though she'd never believed it would be easy, she had desperately hoped otherwise. "So, what are my options?"

"Well, filing for divorce is easy. Jeffery may challenge it, but there's nothing stopping you from leaving your husband."

"But my son and I would have nothing."

"I know," Elaine nodded sympathetically. "Look, what you need is evidence. Proof that Jeffery's plans that night didn't end with a simple dinner."

Evidence, proof, assumption, morals, ethics…every word weighed on Colleen's resolve tipping it perilously close to the breaking point. How bad would it really be to succumb to Jeffery's apologies? He never did anything half way and already the lengths he was going to win her back had surpassed any he'd used before. If…no, _when _he cheated on her again, he'd have the decency to keep it quiet, let her believe their marriage was perfect. She could do it. She was a master at denial.

But, god, what about Liam? If possible, her heart sank even lower at the thought of his reaction. She'd lose him for good if she failed to grow a backbone and eradicate Jeffery from their lives. Truthfully, she couldn't believe he'd stood by her this long. Then again, he was her son and his capacity for misplaced loyalty was a boundless as hers.

Arriving at a decision, she squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. Gazing levelly at Elaine even though her heart was pounding, she asked. "Okay. What kind of proof are we talking about?"

* * *

The baggage claim area at LAX bustled with travelers. Most wore tired but expectant expressions; some anxious to begin a long vacation, others eager to return to their homes and get back to normal life. Debbie and Harry Wilson, however, could have passed for TSA officials had they the proper uniforms. Wearing identical expressions of impatience and irritation, they stood a few feet apart and watched the entryway from the terminal. Confronting Dixon as a unified front had seemed best the night before when Debbie had called her soon-to-be ex. Now, she wished she'd come alone.

"Are you sure we have the right gate?" she asked without looking at Harry.

With an audible exasperated sigh, he replied. "Yes."

"Are you positive?" she pressed, unwilling for some reason to accept his word.

"Debbie, I double checked twice," he said, closing the gap between them and pitching his voice low. "There aren't that many flights arriving from Hawaii. He's not even late. Why don't you sit down and rel-."

"Don't you dare tell me to relax," she warned through clenched teeth. "We wouldn't even have to deal with this if you hadn't undermined my decision and gave Dixon mixed signals that it was okay to go."

"So we're back to this being my fault?"

Debbie wanted to argue that it had never stopped being his fault, but held her tongue. Laying all the blame at Harry's feet would have been easy and cathartic for about five minutes until her conscience got in the way. With a glance, she chose to say nothing and schooled her thoughts against the emotional onslaught of memories that threatened her composure. Twenty years ago if someone had told her she'd barely be able to stand in the same airport terminal with Harry Wilson, she would have laughed in their face. Now, the reminder of what she was losing rubbed her nerves raw.

"How do you want to handle this?" she asked in a neutral tone.

"Not at baggage claim, that's for sure," he said with a sigh. "I'll back you up on whatever punishment you think is right."

"It's going to be hard. I told him no, you told him yes and he snuck out of the house without saying goodbye," she raised her brows and shrugged. "I don't really know what we should do."

"Well…we could let the punishment fit the crime," he suggested, the corner of his mouth hooking up in a grin. "Take away his keys."

"So Annie and I have to drive him everywhere?" Debbie rolled her eyes, but allowed a hint of a smile. "Brilliant idea, Harry."

"Yeah, but it does the job. After a week of being at the mercy of his sister to get around Dixon will think twice about his travel plans in the future."

Debbie considered the idea and decided the idea was rather poetic. Let Dixon keep his freedom, just take away his ability to enjoy it. "Alright. No car for the foreseeable future. Probably contingent on how long it takes to drive me crazy playing taxi, but we won't tell him that."

"And I'll help," he reminded her. "Just let me know. I'm only forty-five minutes away."

At the reminder that he was no longer living under the same roof, Debbie's throat closed up and she could only nod. Civil conversation over, they separated once again, each eyeing the open doorway to the terminal with mounting impatience. As Debbie struggled for each breath, she tried to convince herself that it wouldn't always be like this. Over time the sharp edge of failure and loss would dull to a manageable ache that she'd grow accustomed to, maybe even be able to forget at times.

Keeping that thought firmly in mind, she watched the monitor above the baggage carousel change to reflect Dixon's flight number. Any moment now, he'd be walking through the doors from the terminal and she'd be seeing her son for the first time in three months. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Dixon and Ivy waltzed blithely through the open doorway, backpacks slung over shoulders as they laughed. The smiles quickly drained from their faces upon noticing her and Harry. Debbie watched as they quickly said goodbye and tried to that she was mad.

"Hey, Mom. Dad," Dixon greeted them with all the enthusiasm of a man facing a firing squad. "Guess I'm in pretty deep-."

Before he could utter another word, Debbie abandoned pretense and pulled her son into a crushing hug.

* * *

On the other side of the LAX, a flight from Amsterdam via New York pulled up to the gate. Flight attendants hurried about, preparing the boarding area for deplaning. One by one, passengers began to emerge, mostly men and women in a hurry to make a quick business meeting before catching a connecting flight. Among the power suits of the first class, two blond and beautiful California girls passed through the gate, one of them obviously pregnant and clearly irritated.

"I can't believe you made me fly commercial," Jen Clark muttered bitterly, physically pushing her way past a passenger lingering too long in front of the departure board.

"Will you stop already?" Naomi rolled her eyes at her sister's hysterics and donned a pair of oversized sunglasses. Digging through her equally oversized carryon bag, she pulled out her cell. "We flew first class and you had two seats to yourself."

"I just don't see why we couldn't wait an extra day for the private jet."

"I told you. I have an appointment at the spa for the weekend," she explained for the third or fourth time. "As of Tuesday, I will be a senior and when I walk through those doors as West Bev I plan on looking better than my best."

"Right, but what you haven't told me is why you want to walk through those doors at all," Jen replied, placing a surprisingly gentle hand on Naomi and forcing her to stop and look at her. Real concern lurked deep behind her piercing blue eyes. "Considering what happened, you're perfectly justified in washing your hands of that place. We could have hired the best tutors in Europe."

Naomi swallowed the by now familiar wave of nausea that threatened to choke her whenever she thought about Mr. Cannon and what he'd done to her. "I know. But Ca-he'll be gone and I-I refuse to let him take anything else from me."

"I still think you should sue-."

"Jen. No," Naomi cut her off with an emphatic flick of her wrist. Looking at her sister now, she still had trouble believing they'd not only spent the summer together but become something resembling friends in the process. "That's not going to happen."

"Are you going to tell anybody?" she demanded, not for the first time.

Naomi took a deep breath. Friends they may be, but that didn't stop her from wanting to throttle her sister on occasion. Things hadn't changed that much. "No. I'm not. I'm going to pretend the rape never happened. As far as anybody knows, _nothing _changed over the summer."

* * *

Although Annie tried to be social and mingle with her classmates on the beach, when Liam drifted to the fringes of the party, she felt his absence acutely. Still, she was determined to start her senior year on a much different note than her junior, so she slowly worked her way through the crowds, casting glances every now and then at the far bonfire where Liam sat in the sand, nursing a beer and watching the last rays of the setting sun disappear below the horizon.

Half an hour later, she gave in and joined him, dropping to her knees next to him in the sand. "You are such a brat. You barely spent five minutes saying hi."

"Whatever," Liam scoffed, his hand traveling up her thigh to curl possessively around her hip. "You were talking to people you don't even know."

"I happen to be a very friendly person," she replied haughtily, reaching over him and plucking the beer bottle from his other hand.

He watched her, one brow raised as she took a sip. "What happened to you playing sober cab?"

"It's insurance," she said, narrowing her eyes and biting back a smirk. "We'll just have to stay for hours now to make sure the alcohol from that one tiny sip is out of my system."

Liam laughed and took the bottle back. "How you convinced people you were a good girl is beyond me."

"Oh yeah," she replied, bracing her hands on her knees and leaning forward until their noses almost touched. The delicious thrill of anticipation washed over her as his gaze automatically dropped to her lips. "I'm a total badass."

Liam didn't waste time with words, his hand moving from her hip to wrap around her neck and tug her mouth to his. With a contented sigh, Annie returned the kiss and swore off any further efforts at being sociable. This was where she wanted to be, always wanted to be, wrapped up in Liam and the way he could make her feel like she was the only person in his world. When she'd marveled over being a normal couple, she hadn't been kidding. She honestly hadn't known if the intensity of their connection would survive after the threats they'd been facing disappeared. When he kissed her, however, any rogue doubts still lingering in her mind melted away and she knew her fears were without merit.

"Ugh, will you two get a room?" Silver tsked in disgust as she plunked down in the sand next to them. Annie pulled away in surprise, a grin already curving the corner of her swollen lips despite the slight flush of embarrassment creeping up her cheeks. Liam shot Silver a look that would probably would have killed if she hadn't been busily flipping through text messages on her cell.

"Believe me, I tried," he grumbled, stretching back to prop himself up in the sand. Twisting out of her perch on her knees, Annie scooted close to his side as he tipped his head toward her. "She made me come."

"And the rest of us thank you for bringing Mr. Anti-Social to the party," Silver replied wryly, raising a brow at her friend. "He's such a joy."

"There's an entire beach you could harass," he shot back. "Why don't you go bother someone else?"

"You two really do fight like family," Annie observed with a laugh.

"Yeah, he's like the little brother I never wanted," Silver drawled as Teddy joined them.

"Hey," he greeted them for the first time that evening and pulled up a piece of sand for himself. "What's up?"

"I was just about to drown your girlfriend," Liam replied, flashing a broad grin at Silver.

"Don't mind him. He's just cranky because Annie made him come out of his cave," the brunette replied with an equally taunting expression.

"Maybe you guys are related," Teddy teased, earning a withering glance from his girlfriend before she returned her attention to her phone. Taking a sip from his own beer, he turned to Annie. "So…are you ready for Tuesday?"

"Dude, seriously?" Liam demanded before she could say a word. Annie tried, and failed, not to tense up at the reminder that she still wasn't done with Jasper. Just as Liam predicted, he, Teddy and Silver had received identical summons and while she felt infinitely better knowing they'd be there with her, she was still maddeningly nervous.

Teddy held up his hands. "Sorry. Didn't know the subject was off limits."

"It's not. He's just overprotective," Annie insisted even as she met Liam's eye gratefully. He made no attempt to argue, holding her gaze steadily. Turning back to Teddy, she forced a smile. "I'm ready. I'm not looking forward to seeing Jasper, but you guys will be there. We'll just…see this through and then it will really be over. We can start our senior year without any baggage from the summer hanging over us."

"Amen, my friend," Silver agreed, raising her drink in a mock toast. Almost on cue, a beep from her momentarily abandoned cell claimed her attention. Instantly upon reading the text, her eyes went wide. "Oh…you might want to hold that thought?"

Annie glanced at Liam and frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Naomi's back," Silver replied, gesturing with her phone. "She just texted me about her 18th birthday party this weekend. No mention, of course, about the fact that we haven't spoken in three months."

Annie's stomach twisted as vivid memories from last year came unbidden to her mind. Even if they wanted to – and she didn't, not really – too many people had seen her and Liam together and very much a couple to hide it from Naomi. She wouldn't be surprised if by the time they got to school on Wednesday, the entire school had already told her all about it.

"Well, court's going to be a cakewalk now," Liam commented dryly, after they'd all digested that information.

"How do you figure that?" Silver demanded.

"Because there they have guards with guns to deal with the crazy people," he explained, but he only had eyes for Annie and they sparkled with amusement.

For just a moment, she forgot where they were as the depth of her feelings distracted her. The summer had been worth it. The thought came to her in a sudden flash of realization. Every second, good or bad, had led to not only falling in love with Liam, but trusting and relying on him in a way she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to do after what had happened with Jasper. The smile that curved her lips was unstoppable and just that quickly the nerves about whatever might happen in the future disappeared. "We're never going to be a normal couple, are we?"

"I don't know," he admitted, reaching up to brush her hair behind her ear, his fingers trailing down her cheek and over her lips before he took her chin between his thumb and forefinger. "But does it matter? I kinda like us the way we are."

Annie bit her lip, but for once it was the red reflection of the flames that turned her face pink. Leaning in she took her time and kissed him slowly. In the span of three months they'd overcome groundings, assault charges, gunshot wounds and military school. With a beginning like that, they'd be crazy to even try normal. When she pulled away, she was grinning. "No. It doesn't matter. I kinda like us, too."

The End

_AN: To say I was overwhelmed by the response to this story would be a vast, vast understatement. I have never experienced anything like it with any of my other writing and it made completing the fic such a blast. Thank you very, very much. _

_I am planning on a sequel, so I hope you'll all still be interested in my words in a couple months when I start posting that. Among other things, we'll see how Naomi handles Annie and Liam being together. While I love how she reacted on the show, I have something a little more…dramatic in mind that was just too big to tack on to the end as some kind of afterthought._

_So, until then, thanks again._

_M _


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